OP-ED
Six weeks remain to make New York City count in the 2020 Census
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | AUG. 14-20, 2020 11
BY JULIE MENIN
Listen up, NYC. The
next six weeks will define
the next 10 years.
The 2020 Census is set
to end on Sept. 30, which
gives us just a few weeks
left to be counted. And
right now, almost half of
our city is in danger of being
left out. If these New
Yorkers aren’t counted,
it will cost our communities
hundreds of billions
of dollars in funding we
need and deserve over
the next decade. As we
recover from COVID-19,
we will need all the aid we
can get.
Let’s break the numbers
down.
Right now, NYC has
a census response rate
of just about 55 percent,
trailing the national average
by nearly 10 points. 1.7
million NYC households
are at risk of going undercounted,
which would
mean New York could
only get half of our fair
share of the $1.5 trillion in
federal funding distributed
according to the census
count every year.
Not only that, but we
could also lose two representatives
in Congress,
weakening our voice in
government at a moment
when we need it most.
And now, we only have six
weeks left to get our numbers
up.
We’re facing a critical
moment in our history,
and the census will shape
the direction we take. The
funding we need for our
schools, for our affordable
housing, for our health
system and emergency
services, senior centers,
and so much more all depend
on the census. In fact,
when a COVID-19 vaccine
is developed, the census
will help determine how
those vaccines are distributed
to communities
across the country.
We cannot afford an
undercount.
Every single New
Yorker counts, regardless
of age or immigration
status, and we need
every single one counted
to make sure we get the
resources and representation
we deserve.
The 2020 Census is
only 10 questions and
takes less than 10 minutes
to complete. Fill out the
2020 Census now at my-
2020census.gov or call any
of the phone numbers below
to complete the questionnaire
over the phone
with a Census Bureau
representative. You can
fill it out online or over
the phone in 13 languages
— all you need is your address.
Time is running out
fast. Make sure that you
are not counted out.
English: 844-330-2020
Spanish: 844-468-2020
Chinese (Mandarin):
844-391-2020
Chinese (Cantonese):
844-398-2020
Vietnamese:
844-461-2020
Korean: 844-392-2020
Russian: 844-417-2020
Arabic: 844-416-2020
Tagalog: 844-478-2020
Polish: 844-479-2020
French: 844-494-2020
Haitian Creole:
844-477-2020
Portuguese:
844-474-2020
Japanese:
844-460-2020
Julie Menin is Director
of NYC Census 2020
and Executive Assistant
Corporation Counsel, NYC
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