The bureau has until April 10 to reach its minimum mail-back goal of 61 percent. Census workers then went door to door and eventually got 98.6 percent to respond. Efforts this time around include recruiting the homeless to be enumerators. But that has run into problems as enumerators must be able to read and write well and must provide their own transportation. Shelter representatives say many homeless are not well educated and few have cars.
Local operations cover a nine-parish area.
He said those recruited at such events as the Salvation Army s Operation Stand Down in recent months signed on, but many did not show up for testing. A couple tested, but tested poorly. There are other problems counting people who are hard to find or who may not want to be counted, such as undocumented aliens or people fleeing oppressors. We will have specially designated persons to work with sensitive places. In addition to self-enumeration, she said, workers will meet their customers at a neutral place to maintain confidentiality.