The sluggish economy has created ripple effects in jobs, housing and banking. But one ripple that has impacted neighborhoods, house by house, in the surge in door-to-door solicitors, seemingly selling nothing but asking for a lot.

    As a result, residents have become hyper-aware of strangers in the neighborhood, and have been quick to call Crime Stop to report suspicious people knocking on doors.

    While the Phoenix Police Department has applauded residents’ proactive stance against unwanted solicitors, the U.S. Department of the Census would like to put in a good word for their own folks.

 

As of March 30, from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, approximately 1,500 census takers have begun their duties. They will be in the Valley through June 26, physically go into the neighborhoods and count houses. Their primary task is to confirm that the addresses they have listed in the census database are accurate. They will not be wearing a consistent uniform, but will be wearing ID badges around their necks with their name, no photo, and a Census Bureau seal. They also will be carrying hand-held computers that look like a large PDA.

    The only time they will knock on a door is to verify an address, for example, if the house number is missing or faded, or if there is a guest house in the back that is addressed separately, or if it is a duplex or other multi-unit structure that has missing numbers.

    The city of Phoenix has begun mailing out brochures explaining the census process to residents. Getting everyone counted is important to the city of Phoenix, because each person counted in the 2010 census brings more than $400 per household per year to Phoenix to fund critical programs and services.

    Actual census forms will be mailed by the U.S. Government in March 2010. For more information, call the Phoenix Local Census Bureau Office at 602-427-0660.