Archer is a shrewd businessman, a futurist, while at the same time, a grass-roots organizer who has brought millions to Detroit. Downtown Detroit is experiencing a renaissance that will culminate with three casinos, new football and baseball stadiums, shops, restaurants and condos, all of which infuses downtown with an excitement and vibrancy it has not seen in years. It should be no surprise to Archer that 30 percent of the Detroit population does not know or care about the upcoming census. Yes, Detroit stands to lose millions of dollars in federal aid if there is under reporting of actual numbers. We need to maintain the one million plus mark or lose the distinction of being one of the top 10 cities in the nation.
Advertisers enjoy getting the most bang out of their buck by focusing on heavily populated areas.
However, the old numbers game explanation may not be enough to convince minorities of the overall credibility of the census. African, Arab, and Hispanic leaders and individual residents have pondered census issues for decades. Many in those communities are distrustful of what the U.S. government will do with detailed information gathered at individual residences. Their fear and mistrust are deeply rooted. For the Arab and Hispanic community, there is the fear that, somehow, the Immigration and Naturalization Service will get so-called confidential information and use it to make a case for deportation.