Order for a hearing on the importance of census and demographic data and the consequences of an undercount. Remains in the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology.
Counsel. Relevant. Please add the chair. Dark 0381 will be referred to the Committee on Planning, Development, Transportation. Mr. Clerk, please read Docket 03820382. Councilor Breeden offered the following order for a hearing on the importance of census and demographic data in the consequences of an undercount. The chair recognizes counsel Brett and counsel Brett. And you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. President. This is a hearing order on an important on the importance of the census and demographics and demographic data and the consequences of an undercount as policymakers in municipal government. We like to say that we make data driven decisions, but we all know that the 2020 census was considered significantly underfunded, highly politicized by a former president, and was conducted in the midst of a pandemic and as a result of seriously undercounting black and brown communities across the country and certainly here in Boston, in addition to the 40% decline in Alston Bryant's group for this population. So in January of 2626, the council already voted to adopt docket numbers 0203 in order for the city to submit a count. Question Resolution Operate operation the formal and legitimate process for government units to challenge our census results. So however, I say this hearing order to discuss the importance of census and demographic data beyond just the decennial census years and explore how we can better integrate demographic data as metrics and indicators across all aspects of city work and programs. All of this data is essential to guiding our decision making and planning for the future. The important work of population estimates, projections and demographic interpretations happens every year and every day. As we know, the election department conducts an annual residential listing, which is what some decision making is based on. However, there are additional annual programs in the sense of programs of the Census Bureau, which would significantly impact Boston over the next decade. If we do not connect correct the inaccuracies of the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau conducts an annual population estimates program, a program collecting, using, collected, using population basis, which will be determined by the results of the 2020 census and takes into account population changed and change, including deaths, births and migration. The city of Boston has a record of successfully disputing estimates in the count in 2005, 2006 to 37 22,014, with the city's official population estimates been revised with increases between 5000 to over 35,000 residents at a time. Any change? Just want to state that any any changes are in correction of the numbers will not influence our discussions regarding redistricting or representing within the city. There is also the Census Bureau's housing unit estimates, which also uses the 20 census 2020 census population based on factors the Boston's reported building permits and new residential construction. So really, in essence, I anticipate that this hearing would be an opportunity for us to discuss the ramifications of the 2020 Census undercount and how it impacts all of our city departments. Revise updates for the Cities for our cities, challenge to the count and hear from our city departments, current practices and from demographers and policy experts on how to use the demographics and demographic data to inform our policymaking on city programs in general. So. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Counselor Braden. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Would anyone else. The chair recognizes Constitution and Constitution. You have the floor. As an Flynn, I just rise to say, to add my name and to say that I support this hearing order. We know that with undercount, it's really affect immigrant populations oftentimes who are afraid to answer census questions, especially under this past administration. We know that it affects transient folks, those who are under house, black and brown folks, and that this undercounting is directly tied to federal funding. Right. Seeing, seeing and realizing a decrease in funding at that level. And so I 100% support this hearing order so that we can get our numbers right, so that we can get the funding that we deserve, our neighborhoods, and for our black and brown and immigrant communities. Thank you. Thank you, counsel. Illusion. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? I also wanted to I also wanted to state that during the census count, there was a lot of tremendous work from various neighborhood and civic groups, including the Chinese Progressive Association, the Council Square Tenants Association, the NAACP in Boston. And this during this count, the census count. It happened during the pandemic. And a lot of the a lot of my constituents weren't answering their door by their phone, especially in the AAPI community here in Boston. So I just want to say thank you to the Council of Great and the important work that you're doing on this on this issue. Would anyone else like to? Would anyone like to add their name? Please raise your hand. Please add Councilor Arroyo. Councilor Bach. Councilor Edwards. Councilor Fernandez Anderson. Council. Borough Council. Lucerne Councilmember here council. Murphy Council. We're all please other chair docket 0381 will be referred to the committee. I'm sorry. Yeah. Docket zero three will be referred to the Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology. Mr. Clerk, please read Docket 0383.