LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — With the arrival of Census forms scheduled for March 15-17, Mayor Villaraigosa, joined by Councilmembers José Huizar and Paul Krekorian and community partners, kicked off a City-wide campaign to encourage Angelenos to participate in the decennial count, that decides federal and state funding as well as political representation for the City of Los Angeles.
“By spending ten minutes of your time filling out this questionnaire, you can help frame the next ten years,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “Join us in making a real difference in the future of our City by standing up, being counted, and assuming your rightful place in America’s story.”
The U.S Constitution requires that a national census be taken every ten years. Each year, more than $400 billion in federal funds is awarded to states and local governments based on census data.
In the 2000 census, it is estimated that 76,800 Angelenos were not counted. This was the second highest undercount in the nation and resulted in a loss of $206 million for the City of Los Angeles for the following ten years.
The Mayor’s campaign will be targeting the most traditionally undercounted groups such as young children in low-income homes, minorities, recent immigrants, the homeless, renters and persons living in large households. Volunteers and Community Action Partners across Los Angeles have already pledged to mobilize their neighbors through canvassing and new media efforts.
Through innovative public-private partnerships, the Mayor’s Census office will be raising awareness of the census through a LADOT-sponsored ad campaign that features the Census Call to Action Hero on buses and bus shelters throughout the City. Also, Time Warner has sponsored the Voices of the Census PSA campaign where celebrities such as Eva Longoria Parker, Herbie Hancock, Keisha and Forest Whitaker, Tavis Smiley, Oscar de la Hoya, Ed Begley Jr. and Jordan Farmar discuss the importance of the census on public service announcements that will air on the On Demand channel.
The Mayor’s Census Office is also collaborating with the federal Census Bureau on the Homeless Enumeration Program. The Mayor’s office has already secured 6,000 socks to be distributed at six different events throughout the month. The census count of homeless helps to determine federal funding for emergency food and shelter programs. According to the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA), nearly 25,000 people are homeless in the City of LA on any given night, nearly 4,000 of them on Skid Row alone.
Below is Mayor Villaraigosa’s Census Schedule for the Month:
NOTE: This schedule will be continually updated with more information and events.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Wednesday, March 3, 2010:
12:15 PM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will deliver remarks at “Everyone Counts: 2010 Census” Town Hall Los Angeles panel discussion on the importance of counting every Angeleno in getting our fair share of federal and state resources. National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, 111 N. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Thursday, March 4, 2010:
8:15 AM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will deliver opening remarks at the San Fernando Valley Community Faith-Based Census Leadership Breakfast. Greater Community Missionary Baptist Church, 1106 Norris Ave, Pacoima CA 91352.
5:00 PM — GLENDALE — Mayor Villaraigosa will deliver remarks at the “State of Latinos: Census 2010” town hall sponsored by Fundación Azteca América, the Mayor’s Office of Census 2010 and MALDEF. Azteca América, 1139 Grand Central Ave., Glendale, CA 91201.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Saturday, March 13, 2010:
10:00 AM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will participate in door-to-door campaigning with other volunteers to promote the Census. TBD.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Thursday, March 18, 2010:
10:00 AM — LOS ANGELES — As part of City Hall Census Day, Mayor Villaraigosa will fill out his census form along with other City workers. Information will also be available on how to fill out the Census form. City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Friday, March 19, 2010:
10:00 AM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will join the City Council in proclaiming March 22nd – March 26th Los Angeles Census Week. Council Chambers, City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Saturday, March 20, 2010:
8:00 AM-1:00 PM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will lead census-related Day of Service events that will seek to engage the traditionally most undercounted communities. TBD.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Monday, March 22, 2010:
10:00 AM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will kick off the beginning of Census Week in partnership with NALEO. 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s schedule of public appearances for Tuesday, March 30, 2010:
10:00 AM — LOS ANGELES — Mayor Villaraigosa will distribute food and socks to the homeless as part of the Census homeless count and urge Angelenos to mail back their form before the door-to-door Census Bureau enumeration begins. TBD.
