Census 2020: What State and Local governments need to Know

New Construction

2010 Overview

Overview of the 2010 Census New Construction Program

The 2010 Census New Construction program helped ensure that the U.S. Census Bureau's address list was as complete and accurate as possible on Census Day, April 1, 2010. The Census Bureau updated its address list by canvassing all blocks in the spring/summer of 2009. The New Construction program was the opportunity for governments to submit city style mailing addresses for units constructed after the address canvassing operation. Addresses were required to have basic construction (closing the structure to the elements) completed by Census Day.

The 2010 New Construction program operated as follows:

• The New Construction program was offered only to local and tribal jurisdictions that contain blocks where the Census Bureau planned to mail questionnaires to the housing units. In other areas, the Census Bureau had enumerators hand deliver questionnaires to all housing units in each block and recorded addresses for any new housing units.
• Each invited government designated a New Construction liaison to submit the New Construction addresses for their jurisdiction.
• The Census Bureau sent the New Construction liaison the Census Bureau materials.
• The New Construction liaison submitted a list of city-style addresses, assigned to the census blocks within its jurisdiction in the Census Bureau predefined format. The maps or spatial data were for use as a reference for assigning Census tract and block codes (geocoding) for each submitted address. No street or boundary updates were accepted. Address lists submitted without geocoding information were not accepted.
• The New Construction program ran from August 2009 through November 2009.

The Federal Register Notices published 2 notices around the 2010 Census New Construction program, see here (7/1/2009 announcement) and here (11/3/2009 final notice).

Last modified: February 2, 2018