The Census Bureau operates year-round, taking many types of surveys. Every 10 years, the Bureau conducts a major census. Census takers are officially employed as "Enumerators." HOA Managers and board members have raised security concerns about giving census takers access to their buildings.
Security Issues. Despite any security issues raised by associations, the law requires cooperation with census takers. As provided for in 13 U.S.C. § 223: "Whoever, being the owner, proprietor, manager, superintendent, or agent of any hotel, apartment house, boarding or lodging house, tenement, or other building, refuses or willfully neglects, when requested . . . to furnish the names of the occupants . . . or to give free ingress thereto and egress therefrom to any duly accredited [census taker] . . . shall be fined not more than $500." The $500 fine is small, unless it is interpreted as per unit, in which case it could be significant. Associations should cooperate with census takers.
Identification. Associations can require evidence that the person is a census taker. Since census takers often refuse to have their I.D. badges photocopied, associations can verify a person's status by calling the local census office and speaking with a manager. In addition, the census taker's name and I.D. information can be written down so there is a record of who entered the building.
Phone Surveys. Sometimes managers are called by people claiming to be census takers. They ask for residents' names and contact information. For security reasons, associations may decline to provide information over the phone. If the person comes to the association's management office and provides proper I.D., the association should cooperate.
ASSISTANCE: Associations needing legal assistance can contact us. To stay current with community association issues, subscribe to the Davis-Stirling Newsletter.
