Census workers can enter your apartment in your absence

[Hazcat]

6:00 am May 26, 2010,  by Bob Barr

Thousands of census workers, including many temporary employees, are fanning out across America to gather information on the citizenry.  This is a process that takes place not only every decade in order to complete the constitutionally-mandated census; but also as part of the continuing “American Community Survey” conducted by the Census Bureau on a regular basis year in and year out.

What many Americans don’t realize, is that census workers — from the head of the Bureau and the Secretary of Commerce (its parent agency) down to the lowliest and newest Census employee — are empowered under federal law to actually demand access to any apartment or any other type of home or room that is rented out, in order to count persons in the abode and for “the collection of statistics.”  If the landlord of such apartment or other  leased premises refuses to grant the government worker access to your living quarters, whether you are present or not, the landlord can be fined $500.00.

That’s right — not only can citizens be fined if they fail to answer the increasingly intrusive questions asked of them by the federal government under the guise of simply counting the number of people in the country; but a landlord must give them access to your apartment whether you’re there or not, in order to gather whatever “statistics” the law permits.

In fact, some census workers apparently are going even further and demanding — and receiving — private cell phone numbers from landlords in order to call tenants and obtain information from them.  Isn’t it great to live in a “free” country?

http://blogs.ajc.com/bob-barr-blog/2010/05/26/census-workers-can-enter-your-apartment-in-your-absence/

comments at link

[ericire12]

WTF!

[fightingquaker13]

Haz
I'm a bit skeptical of this. I know little of census law (who does, I mean no one gets rich specializing in something that happens once in ten years ). Still, I do know this. A landlord may not grant the police the right to search your home or business. As long as the rent is paid its "your' property in the eyes of the law. All 4A protections apply. Now the census is a tricky thing as it is an unambiguous enummerated power serving a vital purpose and that gives the government some lattitude. Still it does not trump the BOR which was written precisly to limit and define how far the enummerated powers could go. I smell a bit of a stretch here. Can they enter a rental, or just demand proof that it is occupied/unoccupied?
FQ13

[MikeBjerum]

I don't know all the details of this law or rule, but I did over hear a temporary census worker talking at a restaurant the other day.  He was a laid off postal worker, and he was dining with two current postal workers he used to work with ... former postal employee to census taker ... scary!  He is also in the process of getting his license to be a PI    I'm listening to this at the same time I'm texting tt about helping him with his carry permit class.

This clown is boasting about what he has to do, and how he can do it.  It scared me!

What would you do if you came home to find a census worker in your home snooping and no one else home?

[fightingquaker13]

I don't know all the details of this law or rule, but I did over hear a temporary census worker talking at a restaurant the other day.  He was a laid off postal worker, and he was dining with two current postal workers he used to work with ... former postal employee to census taker ... scary!  He is also in the process of getting his license to be a PI    I'm listening to this at the same time I'm texting tt about helping him with his carry permit class.

This clown is boasting about what he has to do, and how he can do it.  It scared me!

What would you do if you came home to find a census worker in your home snooping and no one else home?

At my house if I'm not home? Well first, he'd better have been pretty good with dogs...... Assuming he didn't get eaten, me, him and Mr. Glock would be waiting from the cops since "I don't know what a Census ID looks like and I caught him burglarizing my place and could you handle this please officer"?
FQ13

[Sponsor]

[2HOW]

Its no wonder statistics show over 100,000 census workers have been assaulted this year.

[fightingquaker13]

Its no wonder statistics show over 100,000 census workers have been assaulted this year.

Can you imagine the poor bastard that get stuck doing South Central LA, or Miami's Overtown? Sitting in a Dennys with a phone book and being creative would begin to seem like a good idea after the second day on the job.
FQ13

[ellis4538]

Loike HELL they can...I have two attack cats that will rip them to shreads!!!!!   LOL

Richard

[tombogan03884]

Haz
I'm a bit skeptical of this. I know little of census law (who does, I mean no one gets rich specializing in something that happens once in ten years ). Still, I do know this. A landlord may not grant the police the right to search your home or business. As long as the rent is paid its "your' property in the eyes of the law. All 4A protections apply. Now the census is a tricky thing as it is an unambiguous enummerated power serving a vital purpose and that gives the government some lattitude. Still it does not trump the BOR which was written precisly to limit and define how far the enummerated powers could go. I smell a bit of a stretch here. Can they enter a rental, or just demand proof that it is occupied/unoccupied?
FQ13

I do not believe this.  FQ is wrong on one point, (I had to find this out  ) It does not matter if the rent is paid up, If you have not been evicted not even the Landlord can enter with out the residents permission.  (I used to have a nosy landlord     )

If this were to happen to ME the Census worker would have a very bad day, the best thing that would happen would be having the Police remove him/her, If they give the idea they will give me crap they get shot.

[2HOW]

Although the OP has a great track record of "real" info. I would have to see a legal reference on this.