Richmond region prepares for 2010 census

The first step to make the 2010 census as accurate as possible is being taken.

Actually, it's quite a few steps.

In the Richmond area, temporary workers for the U.S. Census Bureau will walk street to street beginning April 13 to verify addresses in preparation for next year's population count.

The canvassing has started in other areas and is set to conclude by mid-July.

"A complete and accurate address list is the basis of a good census," bureau spokeswoman Katie B. Cody said. "Every accurate address increases the chance that [a completed survey] will get sent back."

About 1,200 workers are being sent out from the Richmond office, which for now is responsible for a 43-locality area, stretching from Hanover County to the north, Mecklenburg County to the south, Hampton Roads to the east and Goochland County to the west.

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The workers will carry census badges and bags, as well as -- for the first time -- hand-held computers equipped with a global positioning system to map addresses.

In some instances, workers may approach residents to verify the address and whether there are other dwellings on the property, Cody said.

The Census Bureau is working from an address list compiled from various sources, including the 2000 census, the U.S. Postal Service and local, state and tribal governments.

Across the country, an estimated 8 million addresses have been added since 2000, and more than 3.2 million housing units are estimated in Virginia. The Census Bureau will be working with local governments to pick up the addresses of homes, apartments or other dwellings that are occupied after this year's sweep.

Once the addresses are checked, residents can expect:

• Surveys will be mailed next March so they can be completed and returned. The 2010 census is intended to provide a snapshot of the country as of April 1, 2010. All households will receive a 10-question survey that should take 10 minutes to complete.

• Beginning in May 2010, a larger wave of workers will begin following up with households from which completed surveys weren't received.

• A report on the census to be presented to President Barack Obama by Dec. 31, 2010. It is unclear when data will be released publicly.

The census, conducted every 10 years, is used to apportion seats in the House of Representatives and to distribute billions in federal aid to state and local governments. With so much at stake, it's important to make sure addresses are as accurate as possible, Cody said.

"This is really the first major operation of the census, when people are going to be on the street," she said.

Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or .