Title
Census 2000 Information Update (B)
Explanation
The Census Bureau has indicated that all 2000 Census forms for Gainesville have been delivered (either by mail or dropped off at housing unit front doors) as of March 22. It is important that all citizens complete their forms and mail them back as soon as possible. If the Census Bureau does not receive forms by April 15, 2000, they will send enumerators door-to-door to collect the information.
The State of Florida estimates that about 10% of the state's population have not received a Census form. Anyone who has not received the form by now should call the Census Help Line at 1-800-471-9424 AND the Community Development Department at 334-5022 to report missing forms. Damaged, lost, or defective forms should be reported to the 1-800 number.
Several City Census tracts had below average mail back return rates during the 1990 Census. The worst mail back response rate was from Tract 6, which contains the Duval neighborhood and several Gainesville Housing Authority facilities (Pine Meadows, Forest Pines, Caroline Manor, and Lake Terrace). Information released by the Census Bureau on 3/27/00 indicates that the City of Gainesville has a lower response rate (35%) on the 2000 Census than the state (36%) or national (42%) return rates.
Getting a complete count of population is critical for political representation and revenue sharing. Many of the grants the City receives are based on Census data. The Census numbers are used to distribute federal funds for community programs and services such as health-care, economic development, housing assistance, schools, assistance to the elderly, day care centers, and job training. Often the areas most in need of funds are those where low mail back response rates occur. Unlike previous years, there is no appeal of Census numbers after the Census is completed this time. Therefore, it is critical to get the word out to the public about the importance of sending ...
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