Cleveland City Council Opposes Proposed Changes to Decennial Census Rules
Cleveland City Council has introduced an emergency resolution, File No. 1247-2026, to formally oppose a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau regarding the 2030 Decennial Census. The resolution urges federal officials to withdraw the proposal, which would alter how the census counts residents and what demographic information it collects.
What's in the file
According to the text of Resolution No. 1247-2026, the proposed federal rule would change the following:
- Exclude all residents from the apportionment count who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, which would include refugees, asylum seekers, international students, and temporary workers.
- Replace the "usual residence" standard (where a person lives and sleeps most of the time) with new criteria based on where a person lawfully spent the most days between January 3 and April 1.
- Prohibit the collection of data regarding race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on the decennial census questionnaire.
The resolution provides several rationales for this opposition, stating that census data guides the distribution of federal funding for programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, Title I education, highway planning, housing, Head Start, and public health. It further notes that accurate race and ethnicity data are essential for enforcing the Voting Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Additionally, the document argues that shifting residence determinations toward administrative records increases the risk of residents being missed or counted in the wrong location.
Who may be affected
- Cleveland Neighborhoods and Wards: The record states that inaccurate counts could degrade the reliability of demographic data for small geographic areas and affect redistricting and land-use planning.
- Immigrant and Refugee Communities: These groups, along with Black, Latino, Asian American, and LGBTQ+ residents, are identified as populations whose accurate count is necessary for fair representation.
- City Departments: The city relies on this data for emergency preparedness, economic development, and the equitable delivery of services.
Status and timeline
The resolution is currently at the first reading stage.
2026-10-09: The emergency resolution was introduced to the City Council.
Residents can verify the details of this resolution by reviewing the official record at the Cleveland City Council website.
Source record
- File
- 1247-2026
- Type
- Emergency Resolution
- Status
- First Reading
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- October 8, 2026
Official documents
- 1247-2026 Res. 2030 Census RESO HowseJones
- 1247-2026 PRESENTATION
- FINAL VERSION City Record October 30, 2026 Page 105