Census 2020 in Alameda County                  Censodel2020

The Constitution requires a census every 10 years to count all residents in the United States, regardless of background. Not only is the census central to apportioning political power, but the data also influence the allocation of more than $800 billion every year for services like schools, fire departments, and hospitals. All of us — from community members to state and local leaders — have an enormous stake in ensuring the accuracy of the count.

The 2020 Census is among the most important civil rights issues today. Historically, the census has excluded certain communities at disproportionately high rates, including people of color, urban and rural low-income households, and young children. When communities are undercounted, they are deprived of equal political representation and access to resources.

Alameda County gets billions of dollars from the federal government for essential services — healthcare, school programs, housing, transportation, social services and more — based solely on the census count.

• • • Approximately 60% of Alameda County’s revenue comes from federal and state resources.
    • For every person not counted, our community loses $1,000 in funding per year for ten years for items including:
      • Medi-Cal
      • CalFresh
      • Medicare Part B
      • Section 8 Vouchers
    • An undercount of only 6% means our community would lose $1 billion over the next decade.

As part of the Alameda County Complete Count Committee for Census 2020 we are a part of a regional cross sector stakeholder group working collaboratively to maximize participation in Census 2020. As Committee members, we will utilize local knowledge, coordinate connections, and convey messages to networks or service populations among Hard-to-Count communities.

Hard-to-count communities include: 

• Foreign born residents / Immigrants
• People of color
• Young children
• Renters / Frequent movers
• “Linguistically isolated” households
• Low-income households
• Unhoused individuals
• Large or overcrowded households
• Senior citizens
• People without high school degrees
• People with disabilities
• Households without a computer or internet access
• People who have been or could be targets of law enforcement

For more information on the Alameda County Complete County Committee, click HERE.