Important Information About the Census
Louisiana REALTORS • March 17, 2020
The decennial census is a population count that is mandated by the U.S. Constitution to take place every 10 years. The census is important for all REALTORS® because completing the Census survey means more resources for businesses and communities across the country.
Census data are invaluable to the National Association of REALTORS’ research team. Based upon decennial census data, NAR is able to:
Analyze census data related to the number of homebuyers in a particular area or universe of sales;
Compare census data to NAR’s local and national figures;
Forecast and make projections about housing industry growth;
Evaluate trends in generational housing demands and populations at state and local levels;
Analyze migration trends of recent movers to identify potential customers and markets;
Identify trends in household formation; and
Better understand the population of homeowners who have been affected by natural disasters.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau*, census data are used as follows:
Decision making at all levels of government.
Drawing federal, state, and local legislative districts.
Attracting new businesses to state and local areas.
Distributing over $675 billion annually in federal funds and even more in state funds.
Forecasting future transporta¬tion needs for all segments of the population.
Planning for hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and the location of other health services.
Forecasting future housing needs for all segments of the population.
Directing funds for services for people in poverty.
Designing public safety strategies.
Development of rural areas.
Analyzing local trends.
Estimating the number of people displaced by natural disasters.
Developing assistance programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Creating maps to speed emer¬gency services to households in need of assistance.
Delivering goods and services to local markets.
Designing facilities for people with disabilities, the elderly, or children.
Planning future government services.
Planning investments and eval¬uating financial risk.
Publishing economic and statistical reports about the United States and its people.
Facilitating scientific research.
Developing “intelligent” maps for government and business.
Providing proof of age, rela¬tionship, or residence certifi¬cates provided by the Census Bureau.
Distributing medical research.
Reapportioning seats in the House of Representatives.
Planning and researching for media as background for news stories.
Drawing school district boundaries.
Planning budgets for govern¬ment at all levels.
Spotting trends in the eco¬nomic well-being of the nation.
Planning for public transporta¬tion services.
Planning health and educa¬tional services for people with disabilities.
Establishing fair market rents and enforcing fair lending practices.
Directing services to children and adults with limited English proficiency.
Planning urban land use.
Planning outreach strategies.
Understanding labor supply.
Assessing the potential for spread of communicable diseases.
Making business decisions.
Understanding consumer needs.
Planning for faith-based organizations.
Locating factory sites and dis¬tribution centers.
Distributing catalogs and developing direct mail pieces.
Setting a standard for creating both public and private sector surveys.
Evaluating programs in differ¬ent geographic areas.
Providing genealogical research.
Planning for school projects.
Developing adult education programs.
Researching historical subject areas.
Determining areas eligible for housing assistance and reha¬bilitation loans.
The census survey can be completed by phone, by mail, and online at 2020census.gov
Please pay attention to the following key dates:
Mid-March 2020: The Census Bureau will be inviting households to participate in the 2020 census*, and households can begin completing the Census survey by mail, phone, or online at 2020census.gov(link is external).
April 1, 2020: National Census Day! This is a nationally recognized day, and by this date every U.S. household will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 census, and to respond by mail, phone, or online.
June 30, 2020: Last day for households to respond to the census survey.
December 2020: The Census Bureau is required by law to provide an apportionment count to the President and Congress.
Week three of the Regular Session kept real estate issues in the conversation, even as lawmakers continued to focus heavily on workforce, tax and insurance policy. On the property tax front, measures to reshape assessments and exemptions, including proposals for a new blight rehabilitation exemption and additional relief for seniors, remain parked in the House Ways and Means Committee as stakeholders work through fiscal and local government concerns. These bills matter because they will influence long-term carrying costs, redevelopment incentives and how tax burdens are shared across residential and commercial property. Homestead related legislation, including parish level authority to increase the exemption amount, is also in the queue, signaling that the broader structure of Louisiana’s homestead system is officially on the table, not just the dollar figure. For homeowners and buyers, this debate goes directly to affordability. For local governments, it raises revenue stability and service delivery questions. There also has been movement on several identical pieces of legislation that would instruct parish assessors to develop a process for homeowners to permanently register for the homestead exemption for the duration that they own and live on the property. We are actively tracking legislation that will directly shape how investor activity and non-traditional transactions are recognized and regulated in Louisiana’s real estate market. This includes HB 468 by Troy Hebert , a key component of the Louisiana REALTORS® legislative package that targets the wholesale of residential real estate, which was heard in the House Commerce Committee on Monday. The bill is currently positioned for a floor vote early next week. As drafted, HB 468 represents a major step in the right direction for consumer protection in Louisiana, advancing needed guardrails through potential disclosure, registration, and practice standards that could redefine how assignment contracts and “off-market” transactions intersect with licensed brokerage activity. In parallel, HB 292 by Delisha Boyd passed the House on final reading, 86-3, and is on its way to the Senate. Together, these measures represent a coordinated policy effort to bring greater structure and transparency to emerging transaction models, while preserving the integrity of the traditional brokerage framework. Finally, the broader policy backdrop remains important: the Governor continues to push income tax changes and cost of living relief, while business and industry groups are prioritizing insurance, workforce and energy — each a key driver of long run housing demand and investment. As these debates evolve, we’ll keep you updated on what moves, what stalls and what it all means for your clients, your pipeline and private property rights across Louisiana. Please view the weekly bill tracking report provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.
Tax Questions & Updates for 2026 Webinar Recording Now Available
NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide that explains the concept of home staging, offers DIY staging tips and missteps and shares the latest NAR member sentiment on how staging can help buyers better visualize the property as their future home and potentially net sellers a higher price. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow up to two weeks for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Staging Your House for a Sale Spotting Deepfake Scams in Real Estate Are You Ready to Invest in Real Estate? Thinking of Selling? 7 Factors to Consider How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their home buying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for the next consumer guide, which discusses home mortgage options that allow buyers to fold in renovation costs.
