Census: American Community Survey

[CNHT]

Home is where you hang your hat.  I don't own any hats.  So there...

I'm not sure what that means but OK, just don't answer your door. How many times can they come back? They are not JW's.. LOL

[Kat Kanning]

  Alright Jane!

[president]

Got a call from the field rep yesterday, and she left a message.
Got another call from her today, but no message.

Upgraded my phone sevice to allow call blocking, and blocked the 5 census phone #   

[Tom Sawyer]

 

[KBCraig]

just don't answer your door. How many times can they come back? They are not JW's.. LOL

I successfully avoided the 1990 census this way. But that bitch sure was persistent. She must have come to the door 15 times and also sent a few letters, too. She finally gave up.

I didn't face much persistance with the 2000 census. I had the short form, filled in "1", left the rest blank, and sent it in. (I was single at the time, not counting my tomcat.)

Many weeks later, a very polite lady rang my doorbell, explained that she was from the Census Bureau, and wanted to follow up on my response. She smilingly mentioned that I was obligated to answer by law, and seemed genuinely confused when I held up a single finger.

"One," I said. "That's the only thing you need to know. But you seem very nice, so I hope you have a wonderful day."

I shut the door while she spluttered quietly. (I think she was expecting something like that.)

I never heard from them again, though. I guess a single white man living alone in a 3/2 home in a mostly white suburban neighborhood just doesn't raise many red flags. If I'd been Hispanic in an inner city rental house, I expect the Census SWAT Team would have kicked the door in at 3am to count noses, to make sure we were properly represented in Congress.

Kevin

[Russell Kanning]

Maybe we could just fill out the form with like 30 people, no income, etc. .... all the things they are looking for .....oh and 20 homeless guys unofficially live in our dumpster out back. We could have 5 reps in NH not just 2.

[president]

I've been trying to work on a cease and desist letter to had to them if they show up again:

Dear [offender],

It has come to my attention that you have commited criminal trespass on the private property located at [LOCATION], and continued this practice in defiance after given verbal notification of the offense by an authorized person.

According to NH Law,  RSA 635:2
[635:2 Criminal Trespass. ?
    I. A person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place.
....
    III. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor if:
       (a) The trespass takes place in an occupied structure as defined in RSA 635:1, III; or
       (b) The person knowingly enters or remains:
          (1) In any secured premises;
          (2) In any place in defiance of an order to leave or not to enter which was personally communicated to him by the owner or other authorized person;]

You are not authorized to enter onto the private property at [LOCATION]. No trespassing signs are posted.  Crossing the property line without permission is a violation of NH law. You are hereby warned and notified to CEASE AND DESIST your unauthorized entry onto the propety located at [LOCATION] . If you do not immediately cease and desist, I will have no choice but to pursue legal action against you.

Sincerely,

[YOU]

-or-

CEASE AND DESIST ORDER

(DATE)

Dear Sir or Madam:

This CEASE AND DESIST ORDER is to inform you that your and the Department of Commerce's harassing and intimidating actions has become unbearable. Such behavior is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form. This letter is to demand that your and the the Department of Commerce's continuing involvement in information gathering, harassment and intimidation must CEASE AND DESIST immediately. Should you and the the Department of Commerce continue to pursue these activities in violation of this CEASE AND DESIST ORDER, we will not hesitate to pursue further legal action against you and the the Department of Commerce's, including, but not limited to, criminal complaints.

[Insert specific harassment inicidents here. Be sure to include date and place of occurance]

Myself and my fellow citizens have a right to remain free from the Department of Commerce's intimidating, manipulative and high-pressure tactics, and we will take the responsibility upon ourselves to protect that right. Note that a copy of this letter and a record of its delivery will be stored. Note too that it is admissible as evidence in a court of law and will be used as such if need be in the future.

This CEASE AND DESIST ORDER demands that you immediately discontinue and do not at any point in the future under any circumstances do the following to me: speak to, contact, pursue, harass, attack, strike, bump into, brush up against, push, tap, grab, hold, threaten, telephone (via cellular or landline), instant message, page, fax, email, follow, stalk, shadow, disturb my peace, keep me under surveillance, gather information about and/or block my movements at home, work, social gatherings, religious functions and/or at any other activities.

NH Law,  RSA 635:2
[635:2 Criminal Trespass. ?
    I. A person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place.
....
    III. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor if:
       (a) The trespass takes place in an occupied structure as defined in RSA 635:1, III; or
       (b) The person knowingly enters or remains:
          (1) In any secured premises;
          (2) In any place in defiance of an order to leave or not to enter which was personally communicated to him by the owner or other authorized person;]


[Federal: Note that your behavior is a violation of US Federal Laws 18 USC Subsection 2265 Full Faith and Credit, 18 USC Subsection 2261A Interstate Stalking, 18 USC Subsection 875(c) Interstate Communications, 47 USC Subsection 223(a)(1)(c) Harassing Telephone Calls in Interstate Communications]

Should you willfully choose to continue your current course of action, I will not hesitate to file a complaint with the Police Department for your ongoing violations of the Criminal Laws noted previously.

This letter does not constitute exhaustive statement of my position nor is it a waiver of any of my rights and/or remedies in this and/or any other related matter.

I demand your immediate compliance, and furthermore that you confirm in writing that all violative activity will cease immediately.

Very truly yours,
(NAME)

Sent via [Priority Mail/Delivery Confirmation/Hand delivered]

cc:
      - [Your local Police Deparment /local Police Precinct]

I know who the field rep is, so I could deliver it to her, but I figure I would see if she tries to visit again, and have it waiting for her.

[Russell Kanning]

I wonder what the true population of NH is. There might be just tons of us that don't tell the census guys   how many people live here.
Wouldn't it be funny if they talk about the mystery of the shrinking population of NH with new homes and buildings going up all the time.

[aries]

I wonder what the true population of NH is. There might be just tons of us that don't tell the census guys   how many people live here.
Wouldn't it be funny if they talk about the mystery of the shrinking population of NH with new homes and buildings going up all the time.

I'd say 1.6 million

They say it's 1.4 by now (estimate)... I am including students, people staying with family, etc...

My mother says she remembers when it was 800,000

[Pat McCotter]

Well, folks, our residence is being surveyed by the census bureaucrats - a survey we are required by law to respond to - with penalties imposed if we do not - the American Community Survey.

I have received over the past couple months two mailings from the census folks to participate in the American Community Survey. I ignored these. I still have the mailings - they are identical except for the "letter" enclosed.

Now the visits have started. I came home to find their brochures stuck in our door and a note saying he will be back later in the week.

We have already decided we are not going to respond to the government about this survey but I thought I'd keep folks on the forum informed. If they get too ornery for me I will release the names and numbers of the offenders (Dada?  )

[Dreepa]

Well, folks, our residence is being surveyed by the census bureaucrats - a survey we are required by law to respond to - with penalties imposed if we do not - the American Community Survey.

Isn't the census supposed to be once every 10 years?  Tell them to come back in 4 years. 

[Spencer]

This takes me back to 2000 when the census idiots showed up at my apartment in college.  I had mailed in the form listing only the number of people living there (all the info they constitutionally need to apportion Congressional seats).  They came by my apartment at least three times, and they sent a supervisor out once, too.  Eventually they caught on that I wasn't going to play along; although the supervisor was a little tricky -- he asked me a seemingly friendly question that I almost answered ("So, what does your roommate do?").

They kept asking me whether I understood that the more info that the census can collect, the more federal money can come to my community.

It is pretty fun to play their little cat-and-mouse game; just never let them in -- make them stand on the porch.

[Kat Kanning]

good for you Pat!

[Spencer]

It looks like you're on step 3 (of 3):

The American Community Survey is conducted using three methods of data collection to contact households:

Mail:   Self-enumeration through mail-out/mail-back:
Telephone:   Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI); and
Personal Visits:  Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI).

Self-enumeration through mail-out/mail-back methodology -- The self-enumeration procedure uses several mailing pieces:
a prenotice letter,
the American Community Survey questionnaire,
a reminder card,
and a replacement questionnaire if the original questionnaire is not returned in a timely manner.

Sample Addresses that do not respond by mail may be contacted using the follow-up procedures CATI, CAPI, or both.

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI)-- The CATI operation is conducted approximately six weeks after the American Community Survey questionnaire is mailed. We will attempt to obtain telephone numbers and conduct telephone interviews for all households that have not responded by mail during the six-week period. Census Bureau telephone interviewing staff will conduct these interviews.

Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)-- Following the CATI operation, a sample will be taken from the addresses which remain uninterviewed. These addresses are visited by Census Bureau field representatives, who will conduct personal interviews.

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/DataColl.htm

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Damn, I never get census forms.