Federal judge extends Census deadline in latest twist for Queens outreach effort
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A census outreach worker goes door-to-door in Richmond Hill. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography
By David Brand
A California federal judge ordered the U.S. Census Bureau to continue counting residents until the end of October, extending a deadline cut short by the Trump Administration and adding yet another twist to local efforts to drive participation.
The decision by Judge Lucy Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California extends the Census deadline until Oct. 31 — the originally scheduled end date, but a month later than President Trumps’ controversial decision to end the count on Sept. 30.
New York City officials tasked with conducting outreaching and increasing Census participation, particularly among low-income and immigrant communities, cheered the decision but said they’re not banking on it withstanding appeal or even Supreme Court intervention.
“The fact is New York City residents need to respond to the census and they need to do it immediately,” said Amit Singh Bagga, deputy director of the NYC Census initiative. “Self response is by far the most complete and most accurate way to get counted.”
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE CENSUS. IT ONLY TAKES 10 MINUTES
Population data obtained through the U.S. Census determines federal funding and congressional apportionment. An undercount means New York could lose out on billions of dollars and up to two House seats.
New York City’s self response rate is 60.4 percent, compared to 63.2 percent statewide and more than 66 percent nationally, data from the Census Bureau shows.
Queens’ overall self response rate is 61.4 percent, but significantly lower in several Census tracts. In parts of Far Rockaway, Corona, Elmhurst and Richmond Hill, self response rates remain under 50 percent.
The low rates are most evident in so called “hard to count” communities, typically home to a large concentration of low-income, non-English- speaking and immigrant residents.
For the first time, the census can be completed online at 2020census.gov, but a lack of internet access or previous census experience can obstruct participation.
COVID-19 has also affected in-person efforts to drive census completion, but the city has made up for lost time by hosting hundreds of events over the past few months
Hundreds more are scheduled as part of the all-hands-on-deck final push to get New Yorkers counted, Singh said.
Tomorrow, for example, the Queens Museum, Queens Public Library and the Queens Night Market are hosting “Queens Get Counted!,” a major virtual and in-person event to encourage census participation across the borough. The event takes place outside the Queens Museum from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Soccer club Queensboro FC will also urge futbolistas to fill out their forms near the soccer fields at Flushing Meadows Corona Park this weekend.
“It’s not just about a complete collection, it’s about collecting good data so we know what our communities look like and really need,” Singh said. “We’re continuing our efforts in earnest.”
