In an effort to increase the 2020 Census response rate among apartment renters, We Count Minnesota mailed a toolkit to property managers and owners of 2,717 apartment buildings across the state.
The buildings have over 186,000 apartment units and the potential to reach almost half a million renters.
The 2020 Census is happening now. A complete and accurate count of all Minnesotans — including 1.3 million residents in rental housing — is critical for the state, a news release stated. Results of the 2020 Census will be used for the next 10 years to determine Minnesota’s representation in Congress and state and local governments, as well as to guide the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funding.
Renters will be directed to respond to the 2020 Census in one of three ways:
Online by visiting my2020Census.gov .
By phone at 1-844-330-2020.
By mail, using paper forms mailed in April to households that hadn’t yet responded online or by phone.
Building managers and owners, and their tenants, stand to lose billions of federal, state and local dollars if the census fails to accurately count renters. We Count Minnesota’s toolkit supplies building owners with what they need to educate themselves and their residents about the importance of responding to the 2020 Census.
The property manager toolkit includes:
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Posters, which include messages translated in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong languages, for posting in high-traffic areas such as apartment lobbies and laundry rooms;
Post-it Notes that can be posted on renters’ doors reminding them to complete the census; and
A letter to property managers explaining the importance of the 2020 Census and the need for households to respond so their apartment will not need a visit by a census taker who would take their responses.
