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Home My WebLink AboutIR 9282INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS Lc To the Mayor and Members of the City Council No. 9282 July 27, 2010 Page 1 of 2 SUBJECT: FORT WORTH COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE In April 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau posted the participation percentages for mail in responses for the 2010 Census. The final mail -in participation rate for Fort Worth was 70 %. Although this participation rate was lower than the national average of 72 %, Fort Worth performed better than the State of Texas as a whole and saw a 1 % increase in participation from the 2000 Census. In large part the increase in participation was positively impacted by the work of the Fort Worth Complete Count Committee and its focus on census awareness, education and outreach. In April 2009, the City of Fort Worth established the Fort Worth Complete Count Committee (CCC) to: • Encourage members of the Fort Worth community to complete the 2010 Census questionnaire in a timely and accurate manner. • Utilize the CCC's knowledge, expertise and influence to increase census awareness in the local community. • Increase cooperation of residents with census enumerators. The Chair of the CCC, Councilmember Salvador Espino, worked with City staff to identify committee members. The 48- member committee included community volunteers as well as representatives from business associations, faith -based associations, educational organizations and governmental organizations. The CCC held monthly meetings, staffed by the Community Relations Department, between April 2009 and June 2010. During the first three months of the CCC's existence much effort and time went into training the CCC members on the importance of the 2010 Census and brainstorming on opportunities and avenues by which to increase census awareness and participation. Community Relations staff then developed a timeline of activities and events to assist the CCC in carrying out their mission. The work of the Fort Worth CCC culminated in June 2010 with the publication of the 2010 Census -Fort Worth Complete Count Committee Final Report. Attached for your review, the final report includes: • The history and purpose of the census. • An explanation of why an accurate census count is important. • The challenges faced in obtaining an accurate census count. • The variables used to identify Hard to Count census tracts. • A map of Hard to Count Census tracts. • A list of the Fort Worth CCC members. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH. TEXAS ZT] FORT WORTH 2010 Census Fort Worth Complete Count Committee Final Report June 14, 2010 IT'S IN OUR HANDS INT TABLE OF CONTENTS HISTORY......................................................................................... ............................... 3 PURPOSE........................................................................................ ............................... 3 WHY IS AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT IMPORTANT? ............ ............................... 3 CHALLENGES OF OBTAINING AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT ............................. 3 PERSON /DEMOGRAPHIC, HOUSING AND OPERATIONAL VARIABLES ................... 4 USED TO IDENTIFY HARD TO COUNT SCORES ......................... ............................... 4 MAP OF HARD TO COUNT CENSUS TRACTS LOCATED IN FORT WORTH ............. 6 FORT WORTH COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE ........................ ............................... 7 FORT WORTH COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE STRUCTURE . ............................... 9 TIMELINE OF ACTIVITIES and EVENTS ...................................... ............................... 10 2010 CENSUS MAIL IN PARTICIPATION RATE -CITY OF FORT WORTH ................. 15 This report was prepared by City of Fort Worth Community Relations staff with input from the Fort Worth Complete Count Committee and U. S. Census Bureau. For more information please contact Angela Rush, Assistant Director of Community Relations, by email at angela. rush(cDfortworthgov, orcl or by phone at 817 - 392 -6155 2 1 P a g c r HISTORY The process of counting residents through a census has been practiced since ancient Egyptian times, where it was used to determine fitness for military service and for taxation purposes. The first U.S. Census took place in 1790 by authority of Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution: "The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of 10 years, in such manner as they shall by Law direct." PURPOSE The purpose of the first U.S. Census was to count every person living in the United States and then use the count to determine representation in Congress. Though the U.S. Constitution only requires that a population count occur every 10 years, the scope of the information collected through the census expanded throughout the 19th century as the data collected became a valuable resource for demographic, economic and agricultural information. WHY IS AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT IMPORTANT? 40, Census data has political and economic effects on communities. Each year states and communities are awarded more than $400 billion dollars in federal funds based on census data. Census data is also used to redraw the geographic boundaries of political districts, locally and on state and federal levels, in order to maintain equitable political representation. Texas is expected to gain at least three congressional districts based on census projections. Fort Worth's population grew from 534,694 in 2000 to a population estimated by the North Central Texas Council of Government as being more than 730,000 by May 2010. This rate of growth has earned Fort Worth distinction as one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Capturing an accurate census count will help ensure that Fort Worth's growth is reflected in census returns and Fort Worth receives its fair share of federal dollars and representation in Congress. CHALLENGES OF OBTAINING AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT Many challenges exist in achieving an accurate census count, such as: • Apathy 40 • Distrust of government 3 1 P a c tr 0 • Concerns about confidentiality • Increasingly mobile communities, some of which is due to the economic downturn as people are moving to find employment and others moving in the wake of catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina • Increasingly diverse communities with cultural and language barriers • "Hard to Count" populations: • Renters • Residents in low- income communities • Individuals living in multi - family households • Immigrants • Individuals with limited English proficiency In Fort Worth, U.S. Census Bureau staff identified 33 "Hard to Count" (HTC) census tracts in terms of the difficulty of enumeration. A total of 12 variables that were correlated with non - response rates in 1990 and 2000 were used to derive the HTC scores. The 12 attributes (in addition to the non - response rates in 1990 and 2000) identified by the U.S. Census Bureau are outlined in the following table. 411)agr Percent Occupied Units with More Than 1.5 Persons Per Room - Persons per room is obtained by dividing the number of persons in each occupied 21 PCT CROWD housing unit by the number of rooms in the unit (times 100). The figures for OCCP U variable 21 represent the percent of occupied housing units having 1.5 or more occupants than separate rooms; it represents an index of overcrowded housing. Percent Households that are Not Husband/Wife Families - Number of households that are not in husband/wife families divided by total households (times 100). Households are classified by type according to the sex of the householder and the presence of relatives. Two types of householders are distinguished: a family householder and a nonfamily householder. A family 22 PCT NOT_HB WF household consists of a householder and one or more other persons living in HH the same household who are related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. A husband/wife family is a family in which the householder and his or her spouse are enumerated as members of the same household. Types of households which are reflected by variable 21 include family households in which the spouse is not present and all nonfamily households (householders who live alone or with nonrelatives only). 5 1 P a e Percent Occupied Units with No Telephone Service - Number of units without 23 PCT_OCCP U NO a telephone inside the house, apartment or trailer /mobile home, divided by PH SRVC total occupied units (times 100). Units where the respondent uses a telephone located inside the building but not in the respondent's living quarters are classified as having no telephone. 24 PCT NOT HS Percent Not High School Graduate (Ages 25 +) - Number of people 25 years GRAD old and over who are not high school graduates (received diploma or its equivalent) divided by total population 25 years old and over (times 100). Percent People Below Poverty - Number of people classified as below the poverty level divided by the total population for which poverty status was determined (times 100). Families and people were classified as below 25 PCT PRS BLW POV poverty level if their total family income or unrelated individual income was LEV less than the poverty threshold specified for the applicable family size, age of householder, and number of related children under age 18. Poverty status was determined for all people except institutionalized people, people in military quarters and in college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years old. 26 PCT PUB ASST Percent Households with Public Assistance Income - Number of households INC receiving public assistance or welfare payments divided by the total number of households (times 100). Income data refer to calendar year 1999. Percent of People Unemployed - Number of unemployed people 16 years old and over divided by total population 16 years old and over. Unemployed 27 PCT UNEMPLOY people are all civilians 16 years old and over who had no employment during the survey week, were available for work and had made specific efforts to find employment. Percent Linguistically Isolated Households - Number of households in which 28 PCT LIHH a language other than English is spoken at home and no person (age 14 "Very years or over) speaks English Well" or "English only" divided by total households (times 100). Percent Occupied Units Where Householder Moved Into Unit in 1999 -2000 33 PCT_OCCP HU Householders who reported moving into their house, apartment, or MOVED trailer /mobile home in 1999 or 2000 (January - March), divided by total occupied housing units (times 100). 5 1 P a e a� oq a M FORT WORTH COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE In April 2009 the City of Fort Worth established a Fort Worth Complete Count Committee (CCC) to: 041111 • Encourage members of the Fort Worth community to complete the 2010 Census questionnaire in a timely and accurate manner. • Utilize the CCC's knowledge, expertise and influence to increase census awareness in the local community. • Increase cooperation of residents with census enumerators. The chair of the Fort Worth CCC, Councilmember Salvador Espino, was appointed by Mayor Moncrief. Councilmember Espino and City staff then identified potential CCC members based on their knowledge, involvement and influence in the Fort Worth community. The final CCC membership included community volunteers and representatives from business associations, faith -based associations, educational organizations and governmental organizations. Jeff Baker Keller ISD Patricia Bostic U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess Hector Carrillo LULAC, District XXI Cindy Crain Tarrant County Homeless Coalition Dorie Cranshaw Tarrant County League of Women Voters Reverend Nehemiah Davis NAACP Senator Wendy Davis Texas State Senator Wendy Davis Joseph DeLeon Texas Health Fort Worth (Emily Amps) David Dubois Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau Dorothy Dubose Como Neighborhood Advisory Council Councilmember Sal Espino, Chair Fort Worth City Council Abby Gamboa Near Northside Partners Council Freddie Garcia El Informador Hispano Pauline Gasca - Valencianno Las Mujeres De LULAC (Council 4827) Matt Geske Texas State Representative Chris Turner Madelyn Gibbs Mayor's Office -City of Fort Worth Greg Gibson Crowley ISD 7 1 P> i c Robert Gleason Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors Kelly Allen Gray United Riverside Rebuilding Corp Michael Guyton Oncor Electric Delivery Juna Allen Harris Morningside Neighborhood Association Curvie Hawkins Fort Worth Transportation Authority Councilmember Kathleen Hicks Fort Worth City Council Chuck Hoffman Fort Worth Independent School District Anita Horky Community Volunteer Father Stephen Jasso All Saints Catholic Church Josie Martinez Texas State Representative Lon Burnham Tim McKinney United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County John Mitchell Apartment Association of Tarrant County Councilmember Frank Moss Fort Worth City Council Rosa Navejar Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Robert Palmer The Girl Scouts of the Texas Oklahoma Plains Juan Perez United Hispanic Council of Tarrant County Becky Pils Planning and Development, City of Fort Worth Rhonda Pruitt La Vida - Black Voice Barbara Ragland U.S. Congresswomen Kay Granger Ramon Romero City Plan Commission Angela Rush, Staff Liaison Community Relations, City of Fort Worth Bob Ray Sanders Fort Worth Star - Telegram Tony Shuman YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth Leslie Sisk Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County Glenn Spoons Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Neil Strassman Judge Glen Whitley Joy Thomas Community Volunteer Patricia R. Thompson, PhD American Red Cross, Tarrant County Chapter Estrus Tucker Fort Worth Human Relations Commission Melonye Whitson Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce The structure of the Fort Worth Complete Count Committee is illustrated in the chart on the following page. 46 8 1 P a , .= m. LLI M H W w C� C O M V w H J a 2 O O O LL Z O •. Ul' cs W U) Z. 0 m � U) W 501 c CO i U V W W cg W 'i3 �r. W� �V fq W G �iJ W c U. N W c W zr V :J .4 nJ Each subcommittee of the Fort Worth CCC was charged with the following activities: MI T • Education subcommittee - Facilitate census awareness for local schools from pre kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as postsecondary education institutions in the area. • Faith -based subcommittee - Create and coordinate activities and materials that can be used by any local faith -based institution in the promotion of the 2010 Census. • Media subcommittee - Create and facilitate ways to get the census message to all community residents, utilizing all available sources such as local newspapers, newsletters, flyers, local festivals, radio, and television. • Community -based organizations subcommittee — Collaborate with community organizations to inform residents of the importance of participating in the 2010 Census. • Business subcommittee - Create and facilitate ways to get the census message to business organizations encouraging them to help promote the importance of the 2010 Census with their employees and customers. The Fort Worth CCC had its first meeting on April 13, 2009. Meetings were held on the second Monday of each month from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the subcommittees met at the discretion of the subcommittee chairs. ELINE OF ACTIVITIES and EVENTS One of the main goals of the Fort Worth CCC was to assist with identifying census awareness and outreach opportunities. Monthly, throughout the duration of the CCC's existence, the Committee and City staff brainstormed on opportunities and avenues by which to accomplish this goal. Outlined below are the activities undertaken by City staff and Committee members: Identify and recruit Complete Count Committee December 15, 2008- Complete Count members February 1, 2009 Committee Chair and City staff Send out Neighborhood E -News announcing the opening of the local census office and the kickoff January 30, 2009 City of Fort Worth of the census job line Community Relations staff Participate in the grand opening of the local census office February 2, 2009 Complete Count Committee and City staff Monthly meetings of the Complete Count C mittee April 2009 -June 2010 Complete Count Committee and City staff 1011, 1�' IA-' Develop and launch a census web site (April 2009) and update as needed. April 2009 -June 2010 City of Fort Worth Community Relations staff out Neighborhood E -News announcing the C April 15, 2009 City of Fort Worth rtd of 2010 census canvassing Community Relations staff Count Committee August 10, 2009 Complete Count Identify outreach activities with Complete Count Committee and City staff April 15, 2009 -April 1, 2010 Committee and City of Fort Begin receipt of promotional items purchased with Partnership Support Program grants August 25 2009 , Worth Community Fort Worth ISD adopts resolution regarding October 13, 2009 Relations staff Complete submission of Partnership Support School District Program grants from the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of each the Fort Worth Complete Count April 15, 2009 -May 15, 2009 City of Fort Worth Community Relations staff Committee October 20, 2009 Complete Count Develop map of Hard to Count census tracts for May 2009 City of Fort Worth Complete Count Committee Community Relations staff Develop Outreach Activity calendar for Complete Count Committee and update monthly May 2009 -April 2010 City of Fort Worth Community Relations staff Subcommittee assignments made May 11, 2009 Complete Count Committee Chair and City Delivery of census information and promotional staff Produce, videotape and air a PSA about the July 2009 -April 2010 Complete Count census November 7, 2009- Committee and City staff ti" elop and sent press release about the July 27, 2009 City of Fort Worth mplete Count Committee Community Relations staff Census training with provided to Complete U.S. Census Bureau staff, Count Committee August 10, 2009 Complete Count Committee and City staff Begin receipt of promotional items purchased with Partnership Support Program grants August 25 2009 , City of Fort Worth Community Relations staff Fort Worth ISD adopts resolution regarding October 13, 2009 Fort Worth Independent census School District Presentation of census PSA and Complete U.S. Census Bureau staff, Count Committee to Council at Pre Council October 20, 2009 Complete Count meeting Committee and City staff Participate in regional Complete Count U.S. Census Bureau staff Committees meeting November 6, 2009 and City of Fort Worth Community Relations staff Delivery of census information and promotional items to individuals, community organizations and for events such as: November 7, 2009- City of Fort Worth • District 8 Advisory Board Meeting May 15, 2010 Community Relations Staff Travelers Aide Grand Opening 11 I1'a�C • Como Community Cleanup • Acme Brick • Loretta Burns -Stop Six Community • Kelly Gray- United Riverside • Early Childhood Resource Centers • African American Health Expo • Greenbdar Community Center • Care of Cowtown Clean Up • Southeast YMCA • Caesar Chavez Elementary School • Community Christian Church Fair • Oakmont Park Re- Opening • Boys and Girls Clubs • FWISD Parent Liaison meetings • Eastern Hills HOA • Eastgate Voluntary Neighborhood Association • Fort Worth Police Dept. -South Division • Prairie Fest • Near Northside Partners Council Prepare census maps for others: • Hard to Count tracts (City of Dallas) • Apartment /multi - family unit overlay (U.S. Census Bureau) December 15, 2009- City of Fort Worth • Individual census tracts (Complete Count January 1, 2010 Community Relations staff Committee) • Top 15 Hard to Count census tracts -for Reverse 911 Post census information and links on Keller ISD web site January -April 2010 Keller Independent School District Presentations and delivery of census promotional materials at neighborhood organization meetings; individual census January 2010- City of Fort Worth presentations given at 38 neighborhood April 2010 Community Relations staff meetings Delivery of promotional hand fans, census information and a letter from CCC encouraging faith -based organizations (in the Hard to Count January 4, 2010- City of Fort Worth areas) to share the importance of the census March 1, 2010 Community Relations staff with their congregations Draft and send out monthly Neighborhood E- January 4, 2010- City of Fort Worth News about census April 23, 2010 Community Relations Staff Draft and promote census through City News (formerly known as City Page). Published in the Fort Worth Star - Telegram Metro and Northeast January 4, 2010- City of Fort Worth w9n ns; La Estrella (in Spanish) and La Vida — April 23, 2010 Community Relations Staff lac k Voice. 1211) a c 1311'acc Provide addresses for the 2010 Census New Construction (NC) Program January 7, 2010 City of Fort Worth ITS staff t memo from City Manager to all department ` P. ads, senior staff and division heads about January 19, 2010 City staff placement of census signs in city facilities Census training for Neighborhood Education Specialist and Council Aides January 25, 2010 U.S. Census Bureau and City staff Presentations provided to Fort Worth ISD: • PTO /PTA representatives U.S. Census Bureau and • Fort Worth ISD principals February 2010 Fort Worth Independent • Parent College 101 School District • Resource Fair Delivery of census calendars for distribution to parents February —April 2010 Fort Worth Independent School District Obtain permission from the City of Fort Worth, on behalf of the U.S. Census Bureau, to establish Questionnaire Assistance Centers and February 1 -15, 2010 Fort Worth Community Relations Staff Be Counted Sites in City facilities Census presentation to Keller ISD School Board. The presentation will air on Keller ISD cable February 15 -April 1, 2010 Keller Independent School during February and March District Worth ISD pronouncement of Census February 23, 2010 Fort Worth Independent I!th School District ery of census posters to schools within Fort Worth ISD February 24 -25, 2010 Fort Worth Independent School District Fort Worth ISD Census Awareness Campaign: • Weekly message from Superintendent • Chief of Schools interviewed for telecast • Information about census goes up on ISD website March 2010 Fort Worth Independent • Student interviews broadcast on ED -TV School District • Census information provided in social studies curriculum • Poster contest held Sent out information about census on ActToday March 2010 City of Fort Worth (City of Fort Worth employee email news) Community Relations Staff Draft and sent direct email to all neighborhood leaders about the census: • March 5, 2010 March —April 2010 City of Fort Worth • April 1, 2010 Community Relations Staff Census pledge program to remind residents to t and return their census forms March -April 2010 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a member of the 1311'acc El Council District 8 office, Participate in meeting with area ministers to Complete Count promote census awareness March 26, 2010 Committee members, U.S. Census Bureau and City staff Complete Count WdMkrensus of Homeless- Canvass Fort Worth to Committee sented information on the census to the Fort rth Human Relations Commission March 3, 2010 City of Fort Worth population Community Relations Staff Prepared and sent sample "drop in" census information for newsletters to Tarrant Count Y March 4, 2010 City of Fort Worth Community Relations Staff Questionnaire Assistance Centers and Be March 19- U.S. Census Bureau, Counted Sites opened at City facilities April 19, 2010 U.S. Census Bureau Keller ISD Census Awareness Week- The week Committee and City Staff will be dedicated to 2010 census lessons and related activities to teach the entire student body Y arch 22 -26, 2010 Keller Independent School about the census April 1 -5, 2010 District Participate in press event held by the Texas Complete Count Secretary of State and Tarrant County to March 23, 2010 Committee members and promote census participation City staff Council District 8 office, Participate in meeting with area ministers to Complete Count promote census awareness March 26, 2010 Committee members, U.S. Census Bureau and City staff Participate in press event hosted by Dr. Robert U.S. Census Bureau, Fort WdMkrensus of Homeless- Canvass Fort Worth to Worth Police, Tarrant Rfnt Fort Worth's unsheltered homeless March 30, 2010 County Homeless Coalition population and City of Fort Worth Housing and Economic Development staff Participate in press event hosted by U.S. U.S. Census Bureau, Census Bureau to promote census participation April 1, 2010 Complete Count Committee and City Staff Reverse 911 drafted and launched to top 15 Hard to Count census tracts encouraging them April 1 -5, 2010 City of Fort Worth to participate in the census Community Relations Staff Census challenge issued between the City of Fort Worth and City of Arlington April 9 -30, 2010 City of Fort Worth and City of Arlington Participate in press event hosted by Dr. Robert U.S. Census Bureau, Groves, U.S. Census Bureau Director, to Complete Count discuss census participation and highlight local April 15, 2010 Committees, City of Fort Complete Count Committee activities Worth Mayor & Council Office and City staff 0 1411'��r &R, 2010 CENSUS MAIL IN PARTICIPATION RATE -CITY OF FORT WORTH The focused census awareness, education and outreach campaigns had a positive impact on Fort Worth's nsus participation rate, recorded as of April 27, 2010. The final mail -in participation rate for Fort Worth was Although this participation was lower the national average of 72 %, Fort Worth still did well as compared with other major cities within Texas and saw a 1% increase in participation from the 2000 Census. Arlington, TX 72% 70% Austin, TX 68% 69% Dallas, TX 64% 65% El Paso, TX 77% 73% Fort Worth, TX 69% 70% Houston, TX 64% 67% San Antonio, TX 72% 70% e of Texas 68% 69% 1511'�i�:,c