Today, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, introduced legislation calling for more extensive outreach and a Census 2020 education plan targeting Angelenos experiencing homelessness. Los Angeles is home to the largest hard-to-count population in the nation, and an undercount can cost the City millions of dollars in public safety and federal funding for homeless services and beyond.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 28, 2020
Press Contact: Tran Le, tran.le@lacity.org, 213-257-0475
COUNCILWOMAN MONICA RODRIGUEZ CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE COUNT OF HOMELESS POPULATION IN US 2020 CENSUS
The legislation directs LAHSA outreach workers to engage in census outreach to Angelenos experiencing homelessness
Los Angeles, CA – Today, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, introduced legislation calling for more extensive outreach and a Census 2020 education plan targeting Angelenos experiencing homelessness. Los Angeles is home to the largest hard-to-count population in the nation, and an undercount can cost the City millions of dollars in public safety and federal funding for homeless services and beyond.
Currently, the federal Census Bureau has two approaches for counting homeless individuals: sending census workers to service-based locations (e.g. shelters, mobile food vans, etc.), and counting people in non-sheltered, outdoor locations. The Census Bureau coordinates with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the County, and the City to identify key locations for outreach. The Bureau plans to devote three days to counting people who are experiencing homelessness across the country. With such a brief timeframe and limited resources, the City of Los Angeles should expand Census outreach to make sure homeless Angelenos are counted.
“All Angelenos, regardless of housing status, deserve to be counted in the US 2020 Census,” said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. “An undercount threatens the critical resources our community needs for public safety, housing, and city services.”
Councilwoman Rodriguez is also leading the City’s effort in expanding Census outreach to historically undercounted areas in the City of Los Angeles — particularly communities in the Northeast San Fernando Valley which scored among the highest in low census participation in the 2010 Census. Her plan calls for extensive door-to-door outreach and education efforts to remove barriers for a more accurate count.
The motion was introduced today and will return to the Council for review in the coming weeks. To read the motion, click here.
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Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez serves as the Chair of the City’s Public Safety Committee and represents the 7th Council District in the Northeast San Fernando Valley which includes the neighborhoods of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Pacoima, Lake View Terrace, Sunland, Tujunga, North Hills, Shadow Hills, and La Tuna Canyon.