Census Administrator Training

1
Census Administrator Training

• Washington State
• Office of Financial Management

2
Why Census?

• To ensure proper allocation of funds
• 12-15 of the State Budget is allocated to cities
  and towns based on population
• Funds are allocated as of April 1st population
• Federal Census is decennial
• Required by law when land is annexed
• As cities and towns change geographically, they
  must maintain an accurate count of the population
  within their boundaries
• RCW 35.13.260 and RCW 35A.14.700

3
Your Job IS Important!

• Successful Census depends on your work
• Poor enumeration job could result in
• Rejected census count- resulting in an estimated
  April 1st population
• Annexation census required to be partially or
  completely redone
• A census is an investment of time and resources
  by the city and by OFM

4
Manuals

• Census Administrators Manual
• Running a successful census
• Census Enumerators Manual
• Counting people and housing units
• Census Tabulation Manual
• Completing forms
• This presentation is not a substitution to
  reading the manuals
• PDF versions are available online
  http//www.ofm.wa.gov/pop/annex/forms.asp

5
General Instructions

• Procedures are based on over 40 years of
  experience DO NOT attempt to change them
• Use your manual
• Keep information CONFIDENTIAL
• Consult OFM with questions
• Diana.Brunink_at_OFM.WA.GOV
• Megan.Berg_at_OFM.WA.GOV
• 360-902-0599

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General Instructions

• Census for April 1st count
• Conducted during the last two weeks in March and
  first week in April, within 30 days
• Close to April 1 date
• Census for Annexations
• Conducted as needed, within 30 days of the
  Official Census Day of the annexation (first day
  of enumeration)
• Quick census to avoid duplicates
• Large censuses (10 k) must be complete within 30
  days as well

7
Timeline

• Pre-census Preparations
• Mapping, Field checking, Hiring
• Official Census Day Day 1
• First day enumerators are in the field
• Initial Canvas 7 to 10 days
• Visit and list all residences in annexation area
• Finish Census 20 to 25 days
• Clear all callbacks
• Submit all Sheets and Maps to OFM Day 30
• Census is complete pending OFM verification

8
Contracted Work

• It is the citys responsibility to ensure
  contracted work adheres to OFMs guidelines and
  quality standards
• Cities interested in contracting out census work
  should contact other cities that have recently
  used contracting agents.
• OFM can provide city contacts.

9
Census Costs

• Factors Influencing Census Costs
• Total Number of People
• Total Number of Housing Units
• Number of Callbacks
• Number of Enumerators
• Amount of Field Checking needed
• Enumerators Ability
• Density of Housing Units- transportation costs
• Time spent re-canvassing
• Amount of Information Collected
• Boundary Problems
• Publicity
• Weather
• Wages

10
Census Costs

• Calculating Census Costs
• Average city census of 5,000 people
• 4 to 6 per person / 10 to 15 per household
• Larger cities require more enumerators,
  supervision, callbacks (urban anonymity)NO COST
  GUARANTEES

11
Should I Census?

• Cities may feel that population is
  underestimated- therefore looking to increase
  pop. counts for revenue allocations
• A census is an investment in time and resources
  for the city and for OFM, we both want a
  successful outcome
• OFM can help to evaluate potential benefits or
  losses from taking a census

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Should I Census?

• 1) Does it look like the 2000 federal census
  undercounted the city?
• Was the city undercounted by the census?
• Whats the difference between OFMs 2000 housing
  estimate and the census count?
• 2) Why do you feel the current OFM estimates is
  in error?
• Problems with housing? Occupancy rates? Or
  Average PPH?
• Administrative data such as utility billing rates
  can be used as a rough check
• Unique occupancy rates in new construction?
• Seasonal housing?

13
Should I Census?

• 1) How much population must be gained in order to
  have the census cost recouped by the increase in
  revenues through the next federal census?
• Selected revenues distributed to cities amount to
  an estimated 36.8 per capita in 2008
• A city with pop. around 10,000 with no
  extenuating factors will cost approximately 5
  per person to count or 50,000
• Thus 50,000 / 37 1,351 more people are needed
  to pay the cost of the census in one year
• OR 1,351 / 2 yrs. 676 more people are needed to
  pay the cost of the census in 2 yrs. when federal
  census occurs in 2010

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Pre-Census Preparations

• Staffing
• Administrator/Director
• Leader who is in charge, can also be enumerator
• Must be available at all times during enumeration
• Supervisors
• Large censuses may require additional supervisors
• (1 per 5 - 10 enumerators)
• Enumerators Depends on
• The size of the city
• The number of people one enumerator can count in
  a day
• The number of days you have to contact all houses
  in the city

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Pre-Census Preparations

• 50 houses with 3 pph 150 persons

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Work Hours and Duration

• Duration and Difficulty depends on
• geography urban/rural density
• number of enumerators
• political climate
• weather
• Work hours are determined by the need to catch
  people at home - including nights and weekends
• In urban areas evening work is always required
• More jobs, more anonymity, fewer kids, less time
  spent at home

17
Recruitment

• Administrator/Supervisor positions to be hired 3
  to 4 weeks before census
• Can be hired out to a private firm
• Enumerators to be hired via local media, or from
  local clubs or colleges- avoid coercion Police or
  F.D. do not work well
• Enumerators must be able to
• Work nights and weekends
• Have the required physical endurance
• Interact with the public
• Pass a possible screening test of map reading and
  census definitions

18
Pay

• There is no perfect way to pay census staff
• Enumeration areas differ, be fair, equal pay for
  equal work

• Daily Wage
• Per Person Enumerated
• Per Housing Unit
• Hourly Wage
• Mileage

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Training Your Staff

• Discuss
• Confidentiality
• Forms
• Canvassing
• HU definitions
• Resident definitions
• Occupancy definitions

• Field Training
• Check and recheck each persons understanding of
  census definitions and performance before that
  person is released in the field to enumerate for
  several hours on their own
• Take enumerators out in one car for a test
• Learn for each others mistakes

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Enumerator Responsibilities Are

• Know who should be counted
• Know how to count housing units
• Know how to canvass an area
• Know how to complete a Field Enumeration Sheet
• Be meticulous, careful, and courteous
• If the enumerator can not adhere to these
  requirements this job is not for them

21
Safety

• Work in pairs when needed
• In the evening and in areas with potential
  problems
• Dont enter anyones home
• This is a safety and time concern
• Bring a cell phone
• For emergencies and to ask your supervisor
  questions
• Insurance
• Enumerators may be covered under state industrial
  or citys personal plan

22
Assignments

• Enumerators will be assigned a specific
  geographic area to enumerate
• Enumerators will count ALL residents and ALL
  housing units
• Enumerators have NO responsibilities outside
  their specific area

23
Materials

• 3-ring binder containing
• Enumerator manual
• Field Enumeration Sheets
• A map
• No. 2 Pencil

24
Mapping/Canvassing

• Prior to starting the canvass, the following
  should be done
• Maps should be prepared
• Streets checked for accurate representation
• Boundaries checked and problems noted
• Group Quarters located and contacted
• Blocks outlined and numbered
• White-out nonexistent features draw in new
  features
• Use ---- to indicate non-road boundary
• Number blocks consecutively within each Block
  Group in a serpentine fashion

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Mapping/Canvassing

• MAPS are a Major Control Feature
• Provide a means of making assignments
• Assure total canvass without duplication
• Provide a means of identifying problems and
  housing units
• Map should be focused on your area (scale 1 -
  400) then cut up
• Maps should be color coded
• Green Municipal Boundaries (current city
  boundary)
• Red Annexed Area
• Orange Block Groups (enumeration district)
• Black Block (city block)

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Maps

• Master Control Map
• Contains entire area w/ corrections and
  clarifications
• Filled in as enumeration complete and checked
• Supervisor Maps
• Smaller in Scale (larger in area)
• contain Block Groups
• Enumerator Maps
• Maps should have enough information so that
  enumerators know where they are
• Mark all boundary clarifications, landmarks,
  group quarters
• Areas of about 1,000 people

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Common Administrator Mistakes

• Underestimating the time required to do a census
• Underestimating the number of enumerators needed
• Unclear chain of command / responsibilities

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Common Administrator Mistakes

• Inadequate maps
• Inadequate checking of enumerator performance and
  progress of census
• Failure to use pre-census publicity materials

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Break time

• (15 minutes)

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Enumeration Practices
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Enumeration Procedures

• Systematic Canvassing
• Start in the Northeast corner
• Work Clockwise
• Avoid crossing the street/traffic
• Office/field checking
• Replicable practice

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Enumeration Procedures

• Unusual Blocks
• Irregular enclosed block
• Unenclosed block
• Same procedures
• Start close to Northeast corner
• Work Clockwise

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Enumeration Procedures

• Look for concealed units
• Mailboxes
• RVs
• Live-in Garages
• Data are confidential

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Enumeration Procedures

• Do not stop in the middle of a block
• Canvass blocks in the order specified by your
  supervisor

38
Field Enumeration Sheet Top

• The top of the Field Enumeration Sheet can be
  filled out without a respondent
• Complete as much as possible before approaching
  the housing unit

39
Housing Unit Sequence Number

• Number each housing unit consecutively as you
  walk around the block
• 1,2,3,4,5,MH/TR,Spec. each unit receives own
  number
• 1st HU in Northeast corner is 1
• Start again with 1 on next block

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Census Definitions

• Housing Unit- one or more rooms intended for
  permanent occupancy with direct access from
  outside the building or through a common hall
• Occupied Unit- a housing unit with one or more
  resident persons usually living and sleeping
  there
• Vacant Unit- a housing unit without occupants, or
  occupied by a person with a usual place of
  residence elsewhere
• Vacant New Housing fill out Field Enumeration
  Sheet w/ housing unit sequence numberused to
  adjust Occupancy Rates and PPH in developing
  areas
• Dilapidated or uninhabitable units are not
  counted as vacant

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Vacant Housing

• Dilapidated - ignore

• Vacant - count

42
Vacant Housing
43
Vacant New Construction

• To account for new development

44
Vacant New Construction
45
Under Construction

• Under Construction
• Not Counted on Field Enumeration Sheet

46
Housing Types

• Enter housing type in Box 5, 6 or 7 of Field
  Enumeration Sheet

47
Single Family Residence (1)
48
Duplex (2)
49
Triplex / Quadruplex (3/4)
50
Five-or-more unit structure (5)
51
Mobile Home / Trailer
52
Mobile Home / Trailer

• Movable housing units intended for permanent
  occupancy on private lots or in parks.
• Manufactured Homes / Mobile Homes / Trailers
• Not built on site
• Classified for unique occupancy / PPH rates
• Do not include travel trailers, RVs, 5th Wheels

53
Group Quarters

• Living arrangements for groups of 10 or more
  unrelated persons living together (OFM
  definition)
• Typically Prisons, Nursing Homes, Boarding
  Houses, Military Barracks, Student Dorms, Mental
  Hospitals
• These are facilities, NOT housing units, and
  receive special enumeration procedures
• No Housing Unit Sequence Number

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Specials

• Living quarters not intended for permanent
  occupancy
• Only counted when occupied - specials can not be
  vacant
• Travel trailers, RVs, boats, tents, boxcars.
• Remember to use HU Sequence Number

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Homeless

• If homeless or transients are found
• Inquire about temporary dwelling unit
• If none, count the resident as GQ
• Fill in GQ space with full name

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Empty Block

• You will still fill out a sheet
• Give the block a number
• Write in No Population No Housing
• This enables one to track the empty block in the
  Master Control Map

59
Census Definitions

• Resident- A person who usually sleeps In the
  housing unit or Group Quarter facility 4 or more
  nights a week for most of the year
• Includes recent movers
• All residents living at 1201 am on the Official
  Census Day should be counted
• Babies born AFTER 1201 am on the census date
  should be counted
• Persons dying BEFORE 1201 am on the census date
  should not be counted

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Resident Rules

• Rules are based on usual residence where they
  usually sleep four or more nights a week for the
  majority of the year

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Interview

• The Language Barrier
• Print Census Sheets in applicable languages
• Print Callback Slips in applicable languages
• Print Pre-census Publicity in applicable
  languages

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Interview

• Before you get to the door be prepared
• Check the address
• Complete the top portion of the Field Enumeration
  Sheet

• Remember Confidentiality
• respondent can give you information about other
  residents, but you can not give the respondent
  any information about residents

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Interview

• Get a competent person to give the initial
  information
• Children are OK, but ask for an adult
• Inform the respondent that the interview will
  only take a few minuets
• Introduction
• Hello, I am the census taker for your area.
• Reason for census / time required for interview
• Ask for full names of persons living in this unit
• I need the names of the persons usually living
  in this house (or apartment) starting with an
  adult.

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Interview

• Ask the 5 Residency Screening Questions
• 1) Do any of the persons listed above sleep
  elsewhere more than three nights per week?
• 2) Do any of the persons listed above attend
  school and not live at the above address during
  the school year?
• 3) Are any of the persons listed above members of
  the military and live on a military base or ship?
• 4) Do any of the persons listed above live more
  than six months of the year elsewhere?
• 5) Are there any other persons living in this
  house or on this property that I might miss?

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Interview

• Inquire about neighboring housing units
• Could you tell me who lives next door in case
  theyre not home?
• Good enumerators get into this habit!
• Thank your informant
• Thank you very much for your time and
  cooperation.

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Field Enumeration Sheet

• Fill out
• No. of Units in Structure
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or circle MH/TR, Spec.
• Is unit vacant?
• List Full Names
• If needed, void wrong entries. Do not erase
• Dont void in front of residents
• Ask Resident Screening Questions
• Calculate Total Residents
• Take notes

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Resident Questions

• Whats the purpose of this census?
• State government funds for public services are
  allocated on the basis of population size.
  City/County officials want to make sure they
  receive the proper amount of funding.
• Who receives this information?
• All information is strictly confidential. The
  state population staff and the city/county staff
  restrict access to the actual census information.
  Only the total number of persons and housing
  units is released.

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Resident Questions

• Why are the full names required?
• The names are used to verify that people are not
  missed or double counted in the census. After the
  population and housing is totaled, all records of
  names are destroyed by OFM.
• Names are also used for OFM office and field
  checking.
• NAMES ARE REQUIRED
• If census is tabulated with gt 5 no-names,
  enumerators may be required to re-canvass the
  area!

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Problem Situations

• Rarely occur, especially if census receives good
  publicity
• Politely excuse yourself
• Try to get information from neighbors
• Names are preferred, but descriptions such as
  Adult Male, Child Female are acceptable
• People may be resistant / angry
• Report these cases to your supervisor
• Some refusals may be legitimate
• Juvenile group homes
• Safe houses
• TAKE NOTES ON FORMS AND MAPS

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Callbacks

• A callback refers to additional calls or trips
  you may have to make to a housing unit if
  occupants are not at home
• Complete top of Field Enumeration Sheet, put a
  C in the Callback box
• If different enumerators, use initials
• Get information from neighbors
• Names of residents, places of employment, when
  family is home
• If you can verify information from two neighbors,
  you do not need to contact residents directly

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Callbacks

• TAKE NOTES, TAKE NOTES, TAKE NOTES
• Note information from neighbors
• Date and time of attempted contact
• This will help with making contact
• Leave Telephone Notice or Mail Back form at the
  time of initial canvass
• Enter as much information as you have
• Wait a day or two before attempting to make
  contact again
• ALL EFFORTS TO CONTACT RESIDENTS MUST MEET
  CONFIDENTIALITY RULES

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PR helps
75
Hours manned, No voice mail
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Callbacks

• Verifiable information is required
• If no response to Telephone Notice
• Direct contact by phone (reverse directory)
• Re-canvass housing unit
• Use Mail Back form
• Email responses are acceptable, but must conform
  to confidentiality rules
• Be Cautious
• If residents are very difficult to reach, the
  unit may be held for occasional use
• Check utility records, lawn maintenance, apt.
  manager
• If no information on residents is available, the
  unit IS considered vacant- NO EXCEPTIONS

77
Special Enumeration Procedures

• These procedures speed up enumeration and help to
  avoid conflicts with residents
• Unless otherwise instructed, enumerators should
  enumerate everything in their area
• Group Quarters
• The facility should be contacted prior to your
  arrival
• Contact your supervisor before attempting to
  enumerate any group quarters in your area
• Facility may provide you with a list of residents
• Check to make sure temporary persons were not
  included in list (rehab)
• Remember to enumerate resident staff if they meet
  resident criteria
• If there is no list, obtain the names of
  residents from the staff, but do not go
  bed-to-bed
• REMEMBER Group Quarters are facilities, not
  housing units

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Special Enumeration Procedures

• Large Multi-unit Structures
• Contact the manager
• Explain activities
• Explain the difference between occupied and
  rented
• Get a list of vacancies
• Enumerate normally, door-to-door
• Manufactured Homes and Parks
• Same as above
• An empty MH spot / slip is not a vacancy
• Travel trailers and RVs that are occupied as
  permanent housing are classified as Specials
• Remember Confidentiality
• The manager can give you information about
  residents, but you can not give the manager any
  information about residents

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Special Enumeration Procedures

• Hotels, Motels, YMCAs, and YWCAs
• Contact the manager- they should know who are
  permanent occupants and who are guests
• Enumerate resident manager/staff, and permanent
  residents
• Count their rooms as housing units
• Do not count vacant units as housing units
• They are not intended for permanent occupancy
  UNLESS IN THE SPECIAL CASE
• Where 75 or more rooms are filled with permanent
  residents- then count all vacant units
• In these cases are essentially apartments posing
  as hotels

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Special Enumeration Procedures

• Safe Houses
• Contact the staff
• Verify numbers of persons who do not have any
  place else to live
• If you know the residence is a Safe House, DO NOT
  identify it as safe house on census Field
  Enumeration Sheet
• Youth Homes
• Contact the staff or counselor
• Verify numbers of persons that are long-term or
  expected to be
• OK to obtain name of resident counselor
• DO NOT list names- State law prohibits this
• Remember Confidentiality

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Enumeration Quiz
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Break time

• (15 minutes)

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Tabulation

• Three forms summarize the population and housing
  by structure type from the completed and edited
  Field Enumeration Sheet
• Block Tabulation Sheet
• Block Group Tabulation Sheet and,
• Summary Tabulation Sheet.
• E-forms are available online at
• http//www.ofm.wa.gov/pop/annex/forms.asp

84
Tabulation (cont.)
Tabulation is the process of summarizing data
from this form
To this form
85
Block Tabulation Sheet

• One HU entry per line
• If gt 50 HU use multiple sheets
• Enter HU Sequence Number (HU Seq. No.)
• On same line, enter number of persons living in
  HU in appropriate column
• If unit is vacant, enter a V and not a zero
• For specials and GQ indicate what type on the
  same line (e.g., boat, trailer, etc.)
• If NO housing, mark No Housing, No Population
• In the Page Total section at the bottom of the
  sheet
• Add the population by structure type
• Count the number of total units and vacant units.
  Total units contain the number of vacant units.
• If more than 50 units, add all pages and enter in
  BLOCK Total Section on page 1 of 1 only.

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Block Group Tabulation Sheet
Summarizes the Block Tabulation Sheet(s)

• Four parts
• Identifying information
• Population by unit type
• Housing unit by unit type
• Vacant unit by unit type
• Only use the ALL Block Grand Total section when
  you have more than one block group.

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Summary Tabulation Sheet

• Summarizes the Block Group Tabulation Sheet(s)
• Six parts
• Final summary of housing and population
• Computations
• Classification of group quarters
• Census Costs
• Comments
• Contact information and signatures

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Finish Tabulation

• Double check your work!
• Resolve all questions before submitting to OFM.
• Consult your Tabulation Manual and give us a call
  if you have any questions. Were here to help!
• [phone]
• YOUVE COMPLETED YOUR CENSUS!