Texas Border Business
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, McAllen households found a productive way to spend their time at home, self-responding to the 2020 Census, either online or over the phone, propelling the city to reach a very important milestone: 50% of households in McAllen have self-responded to the 2020 Census since March 12, when the Census self-response online link became available. In 2010, the response rate for McAllen was 65.6%.
“This is such an amazing milestone for our community, considering that there are so many distractions and issues currently going on in the world that might make people forget to fill out the Census,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “But now, with being able to respond to the Census online or over the phone, it is easier than ever. It is safe because no one is coming to your door; and secure, because the answers can never be shared with anyone else.”
Mayor Darling highlighted the importance of every person living in McAllen to fill out the Census, as federal funding for roads and schools comes from the population count and even other important services, such as transportation for buses and even medical institutions is all based on the population count from the Census. In fact, currently, Hidalgo County is proportioning federal CARES ACT stimulus monies to all cities in the county based on the 2010 Census population.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Census activities were postponed and the deadline to self-respond has been extended until October 31, 2020. The Rio Grande Valley Census Office will soon begin opening up its doors and begin hiring the 5,000 people needed for their own Census follow-up activities. The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state, and local health officials, will begin to drop off 2020 Census questionnaire packets at the front doors of households in Texas in the week of May 25, in Hidalgo and Cameron County. This will be done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address. Visit www.2020census.gov for more information.
As Texas and cities across the state begin to slowly reopen, so too will Census outreach activities. The City of McAllen is opening its facilities to the public and the self-response sites will be available at all those locations. Tablets will be sanitized and are sensitive enough e to register responses by someone wearing gloves. Additionally, City of McAllen Census Outreach Specialists will begin heading out into the community, so that they may begin to assist anyone who needs help in accessing, responding to, or has questions about the Census.
