City to work with federal government to get accurate information for the 2020 Census

Every 10 years, the City has the opportunity to provide updated address and map data to the U.S. Census Bureau in preparation for the decennial U.S. Census.

The draft data for the 2020 Census will be distributed to planning staff for review.

The Local Update of Census Addresses, or LUCA, is the only opportunity offered to review and comment for our jurisdiction prior to the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau relies on a complete and accurate address list to reach every living quarters and associated population for inclusion in the census.

Since accurate address count is essential to ensure an accurate census count for Costa Mesa; city staff will be diligent to provide updated data. The data will be provided in form of Customized Geographic Information System (GIS) software, which will be easy to update and minimize inaccuracies.

Actively participating in the Census and providing accurate information is important since the Census count is the base for all population estimates for the next 10 years. The count determines the apportionment of political representation, and determines the distribution of federal and state dollars.