Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Appeals Process

For Option 2 participants, the Census Bureau provides the following materials:
1. Full Address List – contains all of the residential addresses for those housing units and other living quarters
currently recorded in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER Data base (MTDB) for your jurisdiction, reservation, and/or
off-reservation trust land. This address list reflects updates resulting from your participation in the 2010 Decennial
Census LUCA program, the Census Bureau’s Address Canvassing operation, and address information provided by
the United States Postal Service (USPS).
2. Full Address Count List – contains the current residential address counts, including housing unit and other living
quarters, for each census block within your jurisdiction, reservation, and/or off-reservation trust land.
3. Detailed Feedback Address List – shows all address record updates submitted by you and a processing code
identifying a specific action taken by the Census Bureau on that address record. This list also identifies any
addresses deleted during the Address Canvassing operation.
4. Detailed Feedback Address Count Challenge List – includes the original Census address count and the most
recent Census count of residential (housing unit and other living quarters) addresses for census blocks where
address counts decreased as a result of Census Bureau operations.
5. Feedback Address Update Summary Report – displays the tallies of actions taken by the Census Bureau for all of
the address updates you submitted.
6. Maps (paper or shapefiles) – may include feature updates provided by you and/or other updates found by the
Census Bureau during the Address Canvassing operation.
For Option 3 participants, the Census Bureau provides the following materials:
1. Feedback Address Update Summary Report – displays the original number of addresses on the Census Bureau’s
address list for the participant’s jurisdiction, the total number of addresses submitted by the participant, and the
current number of addresses within the participant’s jurisdiction.
2.

Maps (paper or shapefiles) – may include feature updates provided by you and/or other updates found by the
Census Bureau during the Address Canvassing operation.

Note: Due to scheduling changes that have impacted coordinate processing, the Census Bureau will not provide structure
coordinates or map spots for housing units collected during the 2009 Address Canvassing Operation.

Are there any differences between the initial LUCA materials and the LUCA feedback materials?
You may find differences between the census block
numbers on your initial LUCA materials and your LUCA
feedback materials. The Census Bureau has continually
updated the MTDB since Census 2000. Because the
addition of new roads and/or boundary updates can
subdivide census blocks, block suffixes can change.
The newly created census blocks are assigned a 4-digit
number “parent” block number (i.e., 1101) plus an
alphabetic suffix (i.e., 1101A). This is why some census
blocks on your initial LUCA materials had suffixes.
For instance, “parent” block 1101 on the initial LUCA
materials contained blocks 1101A, 1101B, 1101E,
1101F in Any City and blocks 1101C, 1101D within
Any County but outside of Any City.
(Note that LUCA participant Any City received addresses
only for those census blocks located within its jurisdiction,
i.e. 1101A, 1101B, 1101E, and 1101F. Census blocks
1101C and 1101D are located outside of Any City in
Any County.)

2010 Decennial Census Initial LUCA Materials,
Census Block Suffixes
ANY COUNTY
61101
Any City 44444

This process of adding roads and updating boundaries has continued since you received your initial LUCA materials.
Some blocks may now be numbered differently in your feedback materials than they were on your initial LUCA materials.
Some formerly unsuffixed blocks now have suffixes, while some formerly suffixed blocks may have been further
subdivided.
Note how resuffixing occurred because of a
boundary change by Any City, and also the
addition of Willow Street. The computer
algorithm that assigns suffixed block numbers
does not attempt to preserve the old suffixed
numbers for the portions of the original “parent”
block number even when they are unaffected by
a new road or boundary. Thus, the census block
bounded by Elm St., Oak St., and 1st Ave. now is
numbered 1101E but corresponds exactly to the
former block 1101A. The original blocks 1101D,
1101E, and 1101F are now completely reconfigured
and numbered 1101A, 1001B, 1101F, and 1101G.

2010 Decennial Census LUCA Feedback Census Block Suffixes
Any City 44444

ANY COUNTY
61101

Any City would receive feedback materials containing
addresses only for those census blocks
now located within their jurisdiction, i.e. 1101A,
1101B, 1101D, 1101E, 1101F, and 1101G.
Census block 1101C is located outside of Any City in
Any County.
Fortunately, the majority of block numbers are unchanged since your initial LUCA review.
To avoid confusion where there has been a change, however, all blocks with suffixes, including blocks that have been
newly subdivided since your initial LUCA review, will be identified only with their 4-digit numeric “parent” block number on
the Detailed Feedback Address List and the Detailed Feedback Address Count Challenge List, i.e., 1101(no suffixes).
Because these products compare your originally proposed changes with the Census Bureau’s address list following
address canvassing, reverting to “parent” block numbers prevents the erroneous comparison of renumbered or
reconfigured census blocks.
By contrast, the maps and shapefiles, the Full Address List, and the Full Address Count List show the blocks as currently
numbered following the most recent round of resuffixing, i.e., 1101A, 1101B, etc.
What if a LUCA participant has a disagreement with the Census Bureau’s address determinations?
To ensure that tribal, state, and local governments participating in the 2010 Decennial Census LUCA Program have a
means to appeal the Census Bureau’s determinations, the Census Address List Improvement Act of 1994 requires that
the Administrator of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, acting
through the Chief Statistician and in consultation with the Census Bureau, develop an Appeals Process to resolve any
disagreements that may remain after participating governments receive the Census Bureau’s LUCA feedback materials.

Who may file an appeal?
Only those governments that participated in Option 1 or Option 2 are eligible to file an appeal.

Option 1 participants that returned additions to or corrections of the 2010 Decennial Census Addresses, and/or
challenged the count of addresses in one or more census blocks on the 2010 Decennial Census Address Count
List, or certified to the Census Bureau after their LUCA review that the 2010 Decennial Census Address List was
correct and required no update are eligible to file an appeal.
Option 2 participants that submitted their local city-style address list to the Census Bureau or certified to the Census
Bureau after their LUCA review that the 2010 Decennial Census Address List was correct and required no update
are eligible to file an appeal.
Option 3 participants do not receive an address list and may not file an appeal.

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What addresses may Option1 participants appeal?
Option 1 eligible participants may appeal three types of address discrepancies:
1. Address additions and corrections they provided to the Census Bureau after their initial LUCA review that the Census
Bureau did not accept
2. Addresses missing from blocks they challenged after their initial LUCA review, and
3. Addresses that were not commented on by the participant during their initial LUCA review but were deleted from the
initial 2010 Decennial Census Address List by the Census Bureau during the Address Canvassing operation.

What addresses may Option 2 participants appeal?
Option 2 eligible participants may appeal two types of address discrepancies:
1.
2.

Addresses submitted by the participant that the Census Bureau did not accept and
Addresses that were deleted from the initial 2010 Decennial Census Address List by the Census Bureau during the
Address Canvassing operation.

What documentation must LUCA participants provide?
The complete appeals process and instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice for appealing addresses at
www.census.gov. Click on Geography then Geographic Programs. Click on 2010 Census Local Update of Census
Addresses (LUCA).
In addition to providing address information contained on your LUCA feedback materials, the following list provides a brief
overview of the supporting documentation you must submit:
1. A written explanation that gives a specific recommendation for how each address and location being appealed should
appear on the 2010 Decennial Census Address List
2. A written statement outlining your position on why the Appeals Staff should adopt each of your recommendations
3. For each address, supporting documentary evidence, including a reference to the exact location on the supporting
documentation that may include:
a. On-site inspection and/or resident interviews
b. Recent occupancy permits
c. Utility records
d. Provision of other governmental services
e. Aerial photography or standard photography
f. Land use maps
g. Local 911 emergency lists, or
h. Tax assessment records
4. Evidence supporting address quality or map reference sources such as:
a. Date of address source
b. How often source is updated
c. Updating methods
d. Quality assurance procedure(s), or
e. How the address source is used by the eligible government and/or the originator of the source

Where do LUCA participants file an appeal?
Appeals must be sent to the independent LUCA Appeals Staff. The address will be included with your feedback
materials.

Where can LUCA participants find more information about LUCA feedback and the appeal process?
For more information about LUCA feedback and the appeal process including the Federal Register notice for appealing
addresses, visit the Census Bureau at www.census.gov. Click on Geography then Geographic Programs. Click on 2010
Census Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA).
You will also receive a copy of the Federal Register notice with your feedback materials.

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LOCAL UPDATE OF CENSUS ADDRESSES (LUCA) PROGRAM
FEEDBACK and ADDRESS APPEAL OVERVIEW
2010 Decennial Census Program
As a participant in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Local Update of
Census Addresses (LUCA) Program, you will receive your
LUCA feedback materials between October and December,
2009. In order for you to prepare for this phase of the LUCA
program, the Census Bureau is providing an overview of the
feedback phase, the feedback materials you will receive, and
the process Option 1 and Option 2 participants may use to
appeal address determinations reflected in the Census Bureau’s
updated address list. Although Option 3 participants will receive
limited feedback materials, they are not eligible to appeal. Your
review of the feedback materials and filing an address appeal
are voluntary.

What is the feedback phase of the LUCA Program?
In accordance with the Census Address List Improvement Act of
1994, Public Law 103-430, the feedback phase of the LUCA
program provides an opportunity for Option 1 and Option 2
LUCA participants to review actions taken by the Census
Bureau regarding their original LUCA submissions and file an
appeal for address discrepancies with the 2010 Decennial
Census LUCA Appeals Staff, an independent, temporary
Federal entity set up to administer the Appeals Process.

How long do LUCA participants have to review the
feedback materials and file an appeal?
Appeals must be filed within 30 calendar days after the eligible
government’s receipt of its LUCA feedback materials. FEDEX
will deliver your LUCA feedback materials, for which your
signature is required. Your deadline is determined by adding 30
days to the signature date. The LUCA Appeals Staff will deny
any appeal filed after the deadline. The Federal Register notice
describing the feedback and appeals processes will be posted
at www.census.gov. Click on Geography then Geographic
Programs. Click on 2010 Census Local Update of Census
Addresses (LUCA). A copy of the Federal Register notice will
be included with your feedback materials.

Are the feedback materials confidential under Title 13,
United States Code (U.S.C.)?
The LUCA program feedback materials provided to Option 1
and Option 2 participants contain confidential Title 13, U.S.C.
information. Title 13, U.S.C. provides for the confidential
treatment of census-related information, including individual
addresses.

Who is required to sign the Confidentiality
Agreement?
Title 13 requires that all liaisons, reviewers, and anyone with
access to Title 13 information sign the LUCA Confidentiality
Agreement and abide by the LUCA Confidentiality and Security
Guidelines. Therefore, anyone who will review or have access
to the Title 13 confidential feedback materials and has not
already signed the Confidentiality Agreement must do so
before reviewing the feedback materials. A blank
Confidentiality Agreement form is included with this advance
notice package.

Issued June 2009

In what format will the Census Bureau provide
feedback materials?
The Census Bureau provides the feedback materials
according to the participation option and in the format
that you selected for your initial review, either paper or
computer-readable. Additionally, the MAF/TIGER
Partnership Software (MTPS) will be provided for use
with all computer-readable feedback materials.

What feedback materials will the Census
Bureau provide?
For Option 1 participants, the Census Bureau provides
the following materials:
1. Full Address List – contains all of the residential
addresses for those housing units and other living
quarters currently recorded in the Census Bureau’s
MAF/TIGER Data base (MTDB) for your jurisdiction,
reservation, and/or off-reservation trust land. This
address list reflects updates resulting from your
participation in the 2010 Decennial Census LUCA
program, the Census Bureau’s Address Canvassing
operation, and address information provided by the
United States Postal Service (USPS).
2. Full Address Count List – contains the current
residential address counts, including housing unit
and other living quarters, for each census block
within your jurisdiction, reservation, and/or offreservation trust land.
3. Detailed Feedback Address List – shows all
address record updates submitted by you and a
processing code identifying a specific action taken
by the Census Bureau on that address record. This
list also identifies any addresses deleted during the
Address Canvassing operation.
4. Detailed Feedback Address Count Challenge List
– contains address counts for those census blocks
that you challenged, if any. The list includes the
original Census address count, the address counts
you submitted to the Census Bureau, and the most
recent Census count of residential (housing unit and
other living quarters) addresses. The list also
includes census blocks where address counts
decreased as a result of Census Bureau operations.
5. Feedback Address Update Summary Report –
displays the tallies of actions taken by the Census
Bureau for all of the address updates you submitted.
6. Maps (paper or shapefiles) – may include feature
updates provided by you and/or other updates found
by the Census Bureau during the Address
Canvassing operation.