July 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Nearly half of Queens residents have still not completed the 2020 Census more than four months after it was opened for responses.
The borough has a self response rate of about 54 percent, according to Census map data. The number is below New York State’s total response rate of 58 percent.
In Queens, the self response rate dips even lower in neighborhoods that have a large minority population. The low-response in these neighborhoods would be particularly harmful toward the community and could hurt the city overall.
Local elected officials are encouraging residents to fill out the Census so that every person in Queens is counted.
#Census results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into our community and I thank @QueensBP2020 @DavidWeprin @CMKoslowitz the #2020Census team & all of our community partners for joining today’s census rally. #GetCounted pic.twitter.com/xpitZWkaBD
— Adrienne Adams (@AdrienneEAdams) July 27, 2020
The census determines how much money each state, city and county will receive in federal funding toward public transportation, hospitals, schools, income assistance and more.
It also decides the number of seats each state has state will have in Congress for the next decade.
Residents can easily fill out the Census online or by phone at 844-330-2020 or by mail. The survey takes about 10 minutes on average and is available in 60 languages.
Census responses are completely confidential.
3 Comments
Many in queens have passed away due to covid 19 or moved. I know i was very selective about what mail i opened.
As of 2018, there were 2.28 million people living in Queens. As of 7-31-2020, there were 5,083 deaths attributed to Covid. I believe that number is suspect; but, even if it isn’t, Covid death isn’t the reason that the US Census has received only half as many replies as expected. NYC is hemorrhaging population. Quality of life has been devolving for over a decade; and, the last 4 months, with huge numbers able to work from home, have made all those office buildings and their rental fees unnecessary. Same with the high cost housing. Theatre, opera, dance, museums, restaurants, bars, night clubs, live professional sports, business meetings, and tours are gone and may not come back. Hotels? Done. All those employed by these dead Dinos can’t make a living. No reason to visit here. No Police to protect those who stay. The river of peeps leaving here will only get bigger. You don’t want to be the last one to leave.
And, I am the onlyperson(so far)to respond to your news item.
No surprise in either case.
Illegals are afraid.
Landlords with illegal apartments and collecting only cash rent are afraid.
Then there are the many who left town to save themselves from the virus.
50 percent is sounding pretty good.
But, not enough to make quality policy decisions.
Everyone in my cave has been counted!