Mayor Wants Review Of Chicago Census Count
CHICAGO (STMW) - Mayor Rahm Emanuel has requested that the U. S. Census Bureau review Chicago's findings that challenge the 2010 Census count.
In its first submission to the Census' Count Question Resolution (CQR) Program, the city has presented 66 census blocks covering 23 wards which the city estimates may contain as many as 1,160 additional housing units and as many as 2, 350 additional people, a release Saturday from the mayor's office said. The CQR program provides state and local governments the opportunity to challenge 2010 Census housing unit and group quarters counts.
"The accuracy of the Census is of critical importance for its role in determining federal funding distributed to our city," Emanuel said. "In order to ensure Chicago residents receive their full share of funding, it is my responsibility to work in partnership with the Census Bureau to correct any errors that may have occurred in 2010."
The city's analysis used a combination of utility account data, Certificates of Occupancy, and field research to draw a comparison with 2010 Census total unit counts. The city discovered that missing units appear to be found throughout the entire city in multiple types of residential neighborhoods involving various types of housing units, the release said.
The city stands to gain as much as $1,200 per year in federal funds over the next ten years for every additional person added to its count, according to the release. A gain of this size in population could result in an increase in federal funding by $2.8 million annually. The Census counts determine the geographic distribution of a substantial proportion of federal assistance, particularly in the form of grants to aid low-income households and support highway infrastructure.
The mayor's office says other cities, such as New York, Houston, Miami, Des Moines, Detroit, Nashville, and Washington, DC have taken similar action.
© Sun-Times Media Wire Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
