The Census is held every 10 years to determine how much federal funding each state receives annually for education, healthcare, housing, and other social safety net programs. The Census also determines the apportionment of Congressional seats and redistricting at all levels of government.
Did you know…
- Los Angeles County is the hardest-to-count in the country
- Los Angeles’ hardest-to-count area is Council District 9
- It is estimated that the City of Los Angeles receives billions every year in federal funding
- Census data helps drive funding for programs like Medi-Cal, Title 1 grants, Special Education grants, SNAP (food stamps), Head Start, the repair and construction of highways, bridges, roads, and more
- For the first time since obtaining statehood in 1850, California missed an opportunity to gain a seat in Congress after the 2010 Census by an estimated 13,000 individuals
The Mayor’s Office of the Census is working closely with L.A. County to correct misinformation about Census 2020 and encourage community members to participate.
L.A. will only get the funding and congressional representation we deserve if everyone is counted. To meet this goal, the Office of the Census will:
- Convene a local Complete Count Committee, the hub for disseminating information, planning and organizing outreach efforts countywide
- Identify hard-to-count populations
- Establish Census Action Kiosks, locations where individuals can find information and resources or respond to the 2020 Census questionnaire (i.e., libraries, Worksource, Family, and Youth Source Centers, Computer learning labs, Senior Centers, etc.)
- Recruit and train Census Goodwill Ambassadors, volunteers who can serve as trusted messengers to relay the importance of participating in the Census
- Foster and support “on-the-ground” outreach efforts by community organizations
