On the Participant Statistical Areas Program

The following is a guest-post from Randy Fusaro, of the US Census Bureau, on the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP).

The 2010 Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) will allow participants, following Census Bureau guidelines and criteria, to review, update, and delineate new census tracts, block groups, census designated places (CDPs) and census county divisions (CCDs). The goal of the PSAP is to define appropriate census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs to obtain meaningful, relevant, small area and place-level statistical data. The updated boundaries for these areas will frame all of the 2010 Census tabulations, and will be used for the American Community Survey (ACS) beyond 2010. Data tabulated to these PSAP geographic entities are used by various local, state, and federal agencies and organizations for planning and funding purposes, as well as the private sector, academia, and the public.

Regional and county level governments and organizations are the primary participants in the PSAP program. These primary participants are required to coordinate among all interested parties so that the resulting 2010 PSAP plan accommodates the needs of all interested governments, organizations and individuals in their area. State governments that would like to contribute to the process should contact the Census Bureau Regional Census Center Geographer to get the contact information for the primary participants in their state.

Local governments, organizations, and interested individuals have been essential in the conceptualization, delineation, review and update of Census Bureau small area statistical geographic entities since the early 20th century. The first census tracts were delineated for the 1910 Census. With each consecutive Census, blocks, tracts and other delineations have been added and updated. Local participation and support is crucial for accurate and meaningful small area delineation.

In April 2007, the proposed criteria for the program were published in the Federal Register. Comments were adjudicated and the criteria revised. Final criteria were published in February and March 2008.

The Census Bureau is currently in the process of identifying PSAP participants. The materials for the program, including editing software and county level data, will be distributed to participants later this year. PSAP Training will be offered by the Census Bureau Regional Census Centers (RCC). The participants are expected to review and update the boundaries, returning the materials during the first half of 2009, after which the Census Bureau will review and verify the boundary information.

In creating the 2010 PSAP plan, PSAP participants review and update census tracts, block groups, CDPs and CCDs (in some states) to accommodate changes in their communities and to meet the 2010 PSAP criteria. The following are examples of types of edits that should be executed by the PSAP participants.

• Census tracts that are above the maximum threshold of 8,000 population and 3,200 housing units should be split, while maintaining the integrity of the historical outer boundary.
• Tracts that are below the minimum of 1,200 population and 480 housing units should be merged.
• It is not recommended that major changes to CCDs occur, but, for example, a name change should be made if it no longer reflects areas within the CCD and the community within the CCD.
  

These are examples of potential changes created during the PSAP process. A full detailed list can be found in the PSAP criteria.

The Census Bureau encourages participation in the PSAP process in order to maintain the most up-to-date and accurate small area boundaries for the most effective tabulation of 2010 Census data. More information is on-line on the Census Bureau site.