City readies for Census

Although National Census Day isn’t until April 1, the city of Mountain Brook began preparing for the upcoming population count long ago.

In 2019, the city chose to participate in the Local Update of Census Addresses, or LUCA for short. By doing so, it was given the opportunity to review and comment on the accuracy of the U.S. Census Bureau’s residential address list in the city.

The bureau relies on a complete and accurate address list to ensure all residents get counted.

Dana Hazen, Mountain Brook’s director of building, planning and sustainability, said participating in LUCA was a “huge undertaking” that took about six months.

“The city takes the census seriously,” Hazen said. “We want it to be accurate.”

The federal government uses census data to award billions of dollars in federal funds to states and communities, and businesses rely on the data to locate new retail and service establishments. In Alabama, census participation is especially important because the state is at risk of losing a congressional seat if too few people respond.

Mountain Brook, which had a population of 20,413 in the 2010 Census, is encouraging residents to participate and has posted information about the census in its resident newsletter and on its website. City Manager Sam Gaston said Mountain Brook was undercounted in the last census.

“I think it’s very crucial that we have an accurate count of our residents who live here in Mountain Brook,” Gaston said.

Households should receive a census notice in the mail beginning in mid-March. The census can be completed by mail, phone or — for the first time — online. Those who haven’t responded by May will be visited at their residence by a U.S. Census Bureau employee.

Visit census.alabama.gov for more information.