BALTIMORE, MD.  — Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young, former U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, and Councilman Zeke Cohen reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the City of Baltimore has a complete count for the 2020 Census. It is of the utmost importance that every resident of Maryland, including every resident of Baltimore City, be counted.

“It is critically important that all residents of Baltimore City stand up and be counted on April 1^st for the 2020 Census,” said Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young. “Residents of our Baltimore have a once in a decade opportunity to shape the future of our beloved city. Essential to a complete count of Baltimore City is focused outreach to our hard-to-count populations.”

The number of residents in Maryland helps determine how many representatives the State has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The number of residents also helps determine the amount of federal funds allocated to the City and assists business leaders with investment decisions. If some residents are left uncounted, Baltimore City is at risk of losing representation at the national level, missing out on federal funds, and losing investment opportunities from the private sector.

“Amidst the many challenges facing Baltimore, we have an opportunity to be a national leader in showing up for the census,” said Councilman Zeke Cohen. “This resolution is a reminder that every Baltimorean counts. We are counting on people to participate. We must get the resources we need and are owed for our children, families, and seniors.”

Certain populations are more difficult to count than others. These include those that are hard to locate, hard to contact, hard to persuade, and hard to interview. These groups are not mutually exclusive. The top 5 hard-to-count segments of the population are: children under the age of 5, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants and people with limited English proficiency, and returning citizens.