Astoria, Jackson Heights miscounted in Census

Our last census count shows lower than expected numbers for northwest Queens, prompting a claim from the city disputing the totals.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of City Planning (DCP) believe that the U.S. Census Bureau committed errors during their counts last year. The city contends that the bureau classified a large number of housing units as vacant in two census tracts.
“Numerous data sources cited in our submission refute the prevalence of widespread vacant housing units in those areas, which are and continue to be among our most stable, growing and vibrant neighborhoods,” Bloomberg said in a letter addressed to Robert Groves, director of the U.S. Census Bureau.
The two Queens neighborhoods in question are Astoria and Jackson Heights, where city officials believe the census bureau made the mistakes. The other allegedly miscounted areas are in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
The DCP has submitted a challenge to the bureau’s Count Question Resolution (CQR) program to contest their numbers. The CQR is used as a way for state, local or tribal officials to contest the U.S. Census counts for housing and group units.
If the challenge is successful, it could account for tens of thousands of more people and more funding from the federal government for a variety of programs, said a spokesperson from the DCP.
Though the challenge can be used by the government for future programs, it will not affect population counts used to apportion the U.S. House of Representatives or redistricting, according the Census Bureau’s CQR brochure.
The city’s application was sent in early August and is currently under review by the bureau.