Census takers head to homeless shelters, outdoor camps

Starting this week, census takers are grabbing reflective vests, face masks, bug spray and flashlights and heading out at night in groups of four to track down one of the hardest populations to count in the 2020 census — the homeless. Over three days and nights this week, census takers will fan out to shelters, soup kitchens, mobile food van stops and other places across the U.S. where people experiencing homelessness often gather. Delayed for six months by the global pandemic, it’s one of the hardest logistical operations the U.S. Census Bureau undertakes.