# Presentation: 722252

## The American Community SurveyChanges & Challenges:Residence Rule and Seasonal Residents

**Will “Chip” Sawyer**
**Room 420**
**Vermont State Data Center**
**at the UVM Center for Rural Studies**
- _[http://](http://crs.uvm.edu/census)__[crs.uvm.edu](http://crs.uvm.edu/census)__[/census](http://crs.uvm.edu/census)_

## A Research/Data Need

- The >2 month rule and seasonal residents
- Potential
- Positive
- Negative
- Real data?
- Not yet...

**“****Need the Info!”**

## Vermonter Concerns with ACS Data

- Sample Sizes and Margins
- Suppression
- Interpreting Multi-Year Data
- but...
**#1: ACS Resident Rule**

## Residence Rules

- What determines WHERE the Census counts you and your household
- Decennial Census: “most of the time”
- Considered to be a 6+ month residency rule
- ACS: >2 month residency rule
- So...
- Decennial Census counts primary residents
- ACS likely will mix some seasonal with primary

## Decennial Census Residence Rule

- “Most of the time”
- Often referred to as the 6+ month rule

## ACS Residence Rule

## Coincidentally...Question # 25

- ACS question asking specifically about seasonal residence
**Removed from 2008 ACS questionnaire**
- “For internal purposes”

## The Positives

- ACS rule “kicks” less respondents out of the sample
- ACS has a very good response rate so far...
- Allows reflection of the contribution of seasonal residents to the local economy
- Eases the impact of college GQs on certain localities

## The Positives, cont’d

- In concert with potential follow-up questions...
- Allows for more information on WHEN respondents are in a local area
- Community planning
- Transportation
- Emergency Management

## Questions in VT

- What should we think about the ACS residence rule?
- What are the implications?
- What can we do?

## The Vermont Challenge

- In Vermont, many winter and summer seasonal residents stay for more than two months.
- If in the ACS sample, they could be tabulated in Vermont.
- These seasonal residents are known to have higher household income levels than the typical primary Vermont resident.
- BUT there is little/no data available with which to calculate the possible effects.

## One Proxy

- Housing Units Sales Data
- From 1988 – 2006
- Median vacation home price has averaged 17% higher than primary home price.
- Mean vacation home price has averaged 29% higher.

## Seasonal Units in Vermont

- 2nd highest rate of seasonal units among states.
- Both Census 2000 (14.6%) and ACS 2006 (14.3%)
- After ME and followed by NH, AK, DE, & FL.

## Of Particular Worry

- Many small Vermont towns have a very high number of seasonal homes.
- The higher income levels of 2nd home owners could mask some key local economic needs
- Even if the 2nd home owners are ALSO Vermonters.

## Vermont Towns and Seasonal Residences

- 10% of MCDs have >50% seasonal units
- 34% have >25% seasonal units
- 64% have >10% seasonal units

## The Policy Disconnect

- Census Long Form income/poverty data has been used to design, validate and evaluate numerous federal and state programs.
- These programs are targeted at PRIMARY RESIDENTS.
- But ACS residence rule will not provide for data on primary residents only.

## Some Example Programs

- HUD CDBG funds and impact criteria
- USDA Rural Development HOME Program and others
- The designation of needy Vermont communities as health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) for primary care, dental care and mental health care.
- Vermont Poverty Goals/Policies

## Key Questions

- Is it the responsibility of the Census Bureau to provide directly applicable data for various federal programs?
- State programs?
- Is the burden on federal and state programs find a way to adjust to the ACS residence rule?
- Was ACS data promised to replicate the coverages of the Decennial Long Form?

## Wish List

- See the results of Question #25
- What changes would we like to see the ACS make?
- Back to the 6+ month residence rule?
- Cross-tabulate by type of resident?
- Increased funding most likely needed.
- Might other state / federal programs need to be adjusted?

## Next Steps...

- Coalition of concerned parties is discussing the issue in Vermont
- Is this being discussed in other states?
- Finalize our statement on concern
- Submit a Letter of Concern to the Census Bureau and Vermont’s delegation
- Share with SDC network
- See what happens next...

## Thank you!

**Will “Chip” Sawyer**
**Vermont State Data Center**
**at the UVM Center for Rural Studies**
- _[http://crs.uvm.edu/census](http://crs.uvm.edu/census)_
**802.656.0892**
- _[wsawyer@uvm.edu](mailto:wsawyer@uvm.edu)_