Maryland Planning Directors' Roundtable

April 16, 2020

Message from Secretary Robert McCord

I wanted to thank you for all of the work that local planning offices are doing to support the 2020 Census. The current 54.5% self-response rate is a respectable early showing.

Please continue to use 21st century tools to help your communities target efforts for a complete count. We will be providing reports on the five lowest performing census tracts along with characteristics of these tracts to each county Complete Count Committee for use in developing targeted efforts in these areas..

You also know that the US Census has extended the self-response date to Oct. 31, 2020 and the delivery date for final numbers to the President to Apr. 30, 2021; and will provide redistricting data to the states by July 31,2021. We have posted the following to the Rumor Control board at MEMA:

Rumor: The 2020 Census has been suspended or cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

FACTS: Although some of the activities undertaken by the US Census Bureau have been adjusted or delayed, the self-response to the 2020 Census continues. The Census can be completed online, by phone or by mail.

We are adjusting our messaging and supplying information to each jurisdiction about low response areas that need additional attention. We are checking in virtually with each county Complete Count Committee and compiling challenges and best practices to share. Census data will be used for the next ten years and inform numbers for hospital beds, vaccines, emergency and public health planning.

Be counted! Be healthy! KEEP CALM and COME to your CENSUS!

Thanks again for all that you do to make meaningful improvements to your communities every year. You have been shaping the future in so many ways and for longer than it has been a Census slogan. Stay safe and let us know if there is any way we can help you.

Secretary Rob McCord

Agenda

Housing Element M&G (presented by Joseph Griffiths)

Solar Facility Siting Guidance (presented by Jason Dubow)

Planning during a Pandemic (Facilitated by Joseph Griffiths with Kathleen Mayer of Hagerstown and Robert Kronenberg of Montgomery County)

Kathleen Maher's Zoom Dos and Don'ts: Leassons Learned by the Hagerstown planning Department's Lessons Learned from Holding Virtual Public Meetings

Census 2020 Self-Response Dashboard (presented by Al Sundara)

Maryland Census Response Rates at a Glance

Recording

April 16 MD Planning Directors' Roundtable Webinar

Announcements

Upcoming Webinars

April 21 – MDP/SGN: Ilana Preuss on “The Front of the Line is Not Inclusive: Why We Need a Better Way to Save Our Small Businesses.”
April 28 – MDP/SGN: Peter Plastrik on “Life After Carbon: The Next Global Transformation of Cities”
April 30 – MDP/DHCD: Coronavirus CARES Act – CDBG Funding Opportunities for Maryland
May 12 – MDP:2020 State Land Use Map Update

Maryland Department of Planning

Upcoming Meetings

None at this time

Past Meetings