Dunwoody residents who have questions about the upcoming census are invited to a community forum hosted by the city and the Atlanta Regional Census Center.
The Tuesday, Jan. 28 meeting at the Dunwoody Library is part of the city’s effort to get the word out about the 2020 Census, a mandatory headcount that happens every 10 years.
“This forum is designed to explain the process and address any concerns,” city spokeswoman Jennifer Boettcher said.
The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include a presentation and question-and-answer session.
The U.S. Census Bureau uses the count to determine how billions of federal and state funds are dispersed to communities for schools, road projects and public works. The more people live in a county or state, the more funds that place generally receives.
Officials estimate as much as 28% of DeKalb County’s diverse population was not counted on the 2010 census, resulting in the county missing out on up to $275 million in funding.
The official process begins in mid-March, when the Census Bureau sends out mailers to every home, inviting residents to complete a questionnaire. For the first time this year, the forms can be completed online, as well as by mail or over the phone.
Advocates emphasize that responses to the census are kept confidential and are not shared with law enforcement or other officials.
Credit: City of Dunwoody
Credit: City of Dunwoody
In Dunwoody, which has a “Complete Count Committee” for the cenusus, the city is using mapping technology to identify areas that might be unlikely to respond to the census over the internet.
Andy Summers, who oversees overseeing mapping and data applications for Dunwoody, created a map that predicts the internet response rate for every neighborhood in metro Atlanta. He used seven existing criteria — including access to a computer, the internet, a smartphone or a landline — to create a "technology access score" for each community. The map also shows the mail response rate from the 2010 Census.
Follow DeKalb County News on Facebook and Twitter
In other news:
