What:
U.S. Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson will visit the Houston area to encourage residents in portions of Harris County, Texas, to participate in the 2016 Census Test. The Census Bureau announced today that Harris County led the nation in county population growth by gaining more than 90,000 people. Thompson will host a news conference at the Area Operations Support Center for the 2016 Census Test.

Beginning March 21, about 225,000 Harris County households will receive notification in the mail from the Census Bureau asking them to complete the 2016 Census Test. The purpose of the test is to refine new methods and technologies under consideration for the 2020 Census, including the ability to respond in multiple languages by Internet, telephone or mail. The Census Bureau is also researching best practices for follow-up operations with households that do not respond, the most costly operation in a census.

In addition to the Houston area, the Census Bureau is conducting the test in portions of Los Angeles County, Calif. The Census Bureau chose these sites because they are large and demographically diverse metropolitan areas with a significant level of language diversity, varying levels of Internet usage and high vacancy rates. These sites will also help the Census Bureau test new technology systems in two sites simultaneously.

For more information about the test, visit //www.census.gov/2016censustest.

When:
Friday, March 25, 2016, at 11 a.m. CDT

Where:
Area Operations Support Center
9990 Richmond Avenue, Unit 270 North
Houston, TX  77042

Who:
John H. Thompson, director, U.S. Census Bureau
Cathy Lacy, regional director, U.S. Census Bureau
Jerry Davis, vice mayor pro tem, City of Houston
Patrick Jankowski, senior vice president, Greater Houston Partnership
Lloyd B. Potter, demographer, State of Texas

Interviews:
Please contact the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office at pio@census.gov 
or 301-763-3030 to request an interview.

RSVP:
Media who plan to attend should contact the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office at pio@census.gov or 301-763-3030 by 1 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, March 24.

For more information about the test, visit //www.census.gov/2016censustest.