Census Bureau Geographic Programs Report
I attended part of the Census Bureau's annual State Data Centers/Census Information Centers/Business and Industry Data Centers (SDC/CIC/BIDC) meeting in Alexandria, Virginia, yesterday. This is the annual gathering of the many state and local agencies that make up the Bureau's Data Center Network.
I was only able to make one day of this event, but was able to attend for a morning's discussion of Census Geographic Programs. I thought that this information would be of use to NSGIC members.
Bob LaMacchia was up first. He made a lengthy recommendation that the Data Center community work closely with state GIS Coordinators, specifically with NSGIC members. This theme also came up when Linda Franz of the Geography Division spoke later in the same session.
I had a chance to speak during this session and echoed Bob's call for work with the GIS Coordinators. I pointed the SDC folks to the NSGIC website and our list of coordinators. State GIS Coordinators should expect to hear from their states' Census Data Center leads at some point.
The End of TIGER/Line
Bob said that the old version of TIGER/Line is no longer needed. The Census Bureau will phase it out and replace it with TIGER Shapefiles, GML and web services. This change matches software changes now under way within the Bureau.
The first 2007 edition of TIGER (fall of '07) will be released as a shapefile data set. The Bureau is working now to define the data set content. The public release of TIGER will have slightly different content from the internal/program-specific versions (LUCA, BAS, Etc.).
Bob said that the Bureau intends to use GML. In fact, he said that an early version of Census GML is already available, though not advertised. The final version will be different from this prototype.
The Census Bureau hopes to also have web services, eventually feature services, to provide online access to Census data and geography. Bob said that the Bureau is working with a vendor now but has had some problems making things work just right. They want to make sure that the system will hold up to heavy hits that are likely around Census time.
The TIGER/Shapefile data sets are likely to be presented at a county level. The data sets are considered too large to serve by state or larger geographic area.
The TIGER Road shapefiles will include address ranges.
Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA)
Linda Franz gave a presentation on the LUCA process, explaining that it dates from the Address List Improvement Act of 1994. That Act, and all of the Bureau's LUCA efforts, strongly stress the importance of the confidentiality of the LUCA addresses.
She said that the Census Bureau hopes to improve LUCA, based on the experiences from doing LUCA in 2000. At least one SDC person mentioned that the bad experiences of local governments with LUCA in 2000 will make it harder to get local governments to take part for 2010.
The Census Bureau will provide desk-top LUCA software -- and training -- to all participants who want it. She added that she understands that ESRI will provide a free ArcGIS extension with Census functionality.
The Census Bureau is inviting State governments to take part in LUCA for 2010. In 2000, LUCA was only for local governments.
There will be computer-based training available for LUCA partners and for LUCA partners to take out to their audiences. I should note that the Bureau has approached me, as a State SDC lead, about helping them organize training for local governments in my state.
There will be several options for LUCA participation (if I understood this part correctly).
Indiana and Wisconsin were the LUCA test states. Dan Veroff, of Wisconsin, gave a report on the experience, saying right at the start that "LUCA is not a walk in the park."
He said that a real challenge is the need to report only residential addresses for LUCA. Participants will need to be able to distinguish between residential and non-residential addresses.
Some conclusions:
The Census Bureau will make available a LUCA Technical Help desk, starting in 2007.
Statistical Areas Program
Michael Ratcliff went briefly over a handout with notes on possible changes to Statistical Areas requirements. The Bureau will publish proposed Statistical Areas Criteria for comment in the next year.
The minimum population will likely be increased for Block Groups, but lowered for Tracts. At the same time, it is proposed that Housing Units be considered along with population. This will be useful in areas with high housing unit counts, but lower year-round population (such as resort areas).
State and local Statistical Areas Program participants will be identified in late 2007. The Bureau expects to work with regional organizations (MPOs) and counties. The States should be involved and should help to organize Statistical Areas groups.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found both the Census Bureau staff and the State Data Center folks very interested in getting the geography right for the 2010 Census. They seemed most willing to work with their GIS Coordinators, though a few had not had any contact with theirs.
Others had, and asked to be remembered to their coordinators.
I was only able to make one day of this event, but was able to attend for a morning's discussion of Census Geographic Programs. I thought that this information would be of use to NSGIC members.
Bob LaMacchia was up first. He made a lengthy recommendation that the Data Center community work closely with state GIS Coordinators, specifically with NSGIC members. This theme also came up when Linda Franz of the Geography Division spoke later in the same session.
I had a chance to speak during this session and echoed Bob's call for work with the GIS Coordinators. I pointed the SDC folks to the NSGIC website and our list of coordinators. State GIS Coordinators should expect to hear from their states' Census Data Center leads at some point.
The End of TIGER/Line
Bob said that the old version of TIGER/Line is no longer needed. The Census Bureau will phase it out and replace it with TIGER Shapefiles, GML and web services. This change matches software changes now under way within the Bureau.
The first 2007 edition of TIGER (fall of '07) will be released as a shapefile data set. The Bureau is working now to define the data set content. The public release of TIGER will have slightly different content from the internal/program-specific versions (LUCA, BAS, Etc.).
Bob said that the Bureau intends to use GML. In fact, he said that an early version of Census GML is already available, though not advertised. The final version will be different from this prototype.
The Census Bureau hopes to also have web services, eventually feature services, to provide online access to Census data and geography. Bob said that the Bureau is working with a vendor now but has had some problems making things work just right. They want to make sure that the system will hold up to heavy hits that are likely around Census time.
The TIGER/Shapefile data sets are likely to be presented at a county level. The data sets are considered too large to serve by state or larger geographic area.
The TIGER Road shapefiles will include address ranges.
Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA)
Linda Franz gave a presentation on the LUCA process, explaining that it dates from the Address List Improvement Act of 1994. That Act, and all of the Bureau's LUCA efforts, strongly stress the importance of the confidentiality of the LUCA addresses.
She said that the Census Bureau hopes to improve LUCA, based on the experiences from doing LUCA in 2000. At least one SDC person mentioned that the bad experiences of local governments with LUCA in 2000 will make it harder to get local governments to take part for 2010.
The Census Bureau will provide desk-top LUCA software -- and training -- to all participants who want it. She added that she understands that ESRI will provide a free ArcGIS extension with Census functionality.
The Census Bureau is inviting State governments to take part in LUCA for 2010. In 2000, LUCA was only for local governments.
There will be computer-based training available for LUCA partners and for LUCA partners to take out to their audiences. I should note that the Bureau has approached me, as a State SDC lead, about helping them organize training for local governments in my state.
There will be several options for LUCA participation (if I understood this part correctly).
- Full Address List Review, which requires the partner to sign a confidentiality agreement
- Provide your local address list (only city-style addresses) for Census Bureau matching and feedback (requires the partner to sign a confidentiality agreement)
- Provide your local address list (only city-style addresses) for Census Bureau matching but no feedback (no Title 13 confidentiality agreement) will be provided
Indiana and Wisconsin were the LUCA test states. Dan Veroff, of Wisconsin, gave a report on the experience, saying right at the start that "LUCA is not a walk in the park."
He said that a real challenge is the need to report only residential addresses for LUCA. Participants will need to be able to distinguish between residential and non-residential addresses.
Some conclusions:
- State input is useful
- Not all states have address data at a statewide level
- It is important to bring-in the state GIS Coordinators
- The Bureau will suggest a LUCA coordinator to Governors
- The Census Bureau is expected to copy SDCs on Governors' letters
- Used county parcel data
- Did a tabular match between Census MAF and the address data in the parcel data set
- Then did a geo-matching exercise:
- Geocoded MAF list
- Geocoded local data
- Buffered all points and looked for coincidence to see what matches
- County cooperation was inconsistent
- County data sets vary wildly and widely in quality
- They found that MAF addresses, when geocoded against TIGER, tended to cluster at the end of road segments
- Get the MAF data set's field-layout now from the Census LUCA web site
- Plan in collaboration with state partners
- Aim for a full, statewide address list
- Use multiple data sources
- Have adequate staff and technical capacity for the work
The Census Bureau will make available a LUCA Technical Help desk, starting in 2007.
Statistical Areas Program
Michael Ratcliff went briefly over a handout with notes on possible changes to Statistical Areas requirements. The Bureau will publish proposed Statistical Areas Criteria for comment in the next year.
The minimum population will likely be increased for Block Groups, but lowered for Tracts. At the same time, it is proposed that Housing Units be considered along with population. This will be useful in areas with high housing unit counts, but lower year-round population (such as resort areas).
State and local Statistical Areas Program participants will be identified in late 2007. The Bureau expects to work with regional organizations (MPOs) and counties. The States should be involved and should help to organize Statistical Areas groups.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found both the Census Bureau staff and the State Data Center folks very interested in getting the geography right for the 2010 Census. They seemed most willing to work with their GIS Coordinators, though a few had not had any contact with theirs.
Others had, and asked to be remembered to their coordinators.
posted by Mike Mahaffie at 11:15 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home