About a quarter-million people have received a survey from the Census Bureau since January that is remarkably similar to the one that was sent to all Americans five years ago.

Many people think it is fake -- it isn't -- and toss it in the trash -- don't.

The American Community Survey 2.5 percent of the population will receive every year -- about 250,000 are being dropped in mail boxes every month -- is the result of Uncle Sam's need for more timely and relevant information about the country's rapidly changing population.

The last census occurred in 2000 and every household in the country received a questionnaire. The decennial count is required by the Constitution and the results are used to, among other things, apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and redistrict state legislatures.

Last time around, most households received a "short form," which contained seven basic questions. But a sample of households received a "long form," which contained additional questions designed to gain detailed information on what the nation's communities look like.

The long form was used to determine things like how many residents have high school diplomas or college degrees, rising housing values, areas with the greatest need for job training programs, how many persons speak a language other than English, how long it take to get to work and where the community's veterans and elderly residents are located.

The drawback, of course, is that the 10-year census captures only a "snapshot" of America at the turn of every decade. As the years go by, the more dated and obsolete, and the less relevant, the information becomes.

The new ACS survey, on the other hand, is a continuous, rolling examination technique that will provide a much more precise "moving" picture of population characteristics, providing community leaders, planners, businesses and governments the most current statistical data available on which to make more informed decisions regarding housing, education, transportation, education and other matters.

In fact, all questions on the survey fulfill requirements for federal programs, and many have a direct bearing on the distribution of more than $200 billion in federal funds for state and local services. Therefore, it is important that people who receive the survey respond to it to ensure their community is fully represented.

"We believe the American Community Survey is the future, not only for the Census Bureau, but also for local leaders, businesses and growing communities," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon.

"For the first time, small communities will have timely and accurate information that will help leaders make better decisions about where to build and locate roads, schools and hospitals. Likewise, businesses will be better able to identify likely markets for their products and services."

Each year, the bureau will mail the survey to a random sample of about 3 million households throughout the country and Puerto Rico. Roughly one-in-40 addresses will participate in the survey annually. By comparison, one-in-six received the Census 2000 long form.

In development and testing since 1996, the ACS currently produces data for areas with populations of 250,000 or more.

Responses are mandatory, and are used for statistical purposes only. All responses are strictly confidential. Every person with access to the answers takes an oath to protect their confidentiality. Violating this law is a federal crime with maximum penalties of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The good news is that since the questions being asked are the same as those that were asked on the so-called "long form" that is sent to a segment of the populace as part of the 10-year Census, the new rolling survey will eliminate the need for a separate and lengthy long-form questionnaire when the next census rolls around in 2010.

The ACS will be mailed to a sample of households in all 3,233 U.S. counties and in Puerto Rico each month. No address will receive the survey more often than once every five years.

Published: April 6, 2005

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When Lew Sichelman first started writing about housing in 1969, he was the youngest real estate writer in the country. Now, 37 years later, he's one of the oldest -- and most decorated. He has been rated the top housing columnist in the country by the National Association of Realtors as well as by his peers in the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Indeed, NAREE has recognized his work on numerous occasions. One year - due to his advancing age, he can't recall which one - he earned top honors in the annual NAREE Journalism Contest in three out of the four major writing categories. It was the first time one writer has won so many NAREE awards in a single year. Known for his ability to make even the most difficult topics understandable, Sichelman also has been honored by the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He began providing in-depth coverage of and consumer-oriented information about housing and housing finance at the Washington Daily News, where he was real estate editor. He held that same position for nine more years at the Washington Star, which purchased the News in 1972. The Star, a so-called "writer's newspaper" which also had the misfortune of being an evening paper, was put out of its misery in 1981, and Sichelman, who had begun self-syndicating his column in 1978, decided to become a full-time columnist. Today, his column, "The Housing Scene," is distributed by United Media to newspapers throughout the country. He also is on the staff of National Mortgage News, an independent newspaper which is considered the bible of the mortgage business. And he writes for numerous other publications, including MarketWatch.com, where he answers readers questions once a week, Sports Illustrated (don't ask), RealtyTimes.com, BigBuilder and others. Sichelman is married, the father of five and grandfather of eleven.