A message from Commissioner McCosh: Annual Resident Listing

Dear Disability Community Members,

As we continue to work on reopening Boston it is important for us to keep planning for the future as well as work on the issues facing us today. As part of that planning, Mayor Walsh and the Boston Elections Department recently kicked-off this year's annual resident census.  

The Boston Annual Resident Listing, as the initiative is officially known, attempts to count every individual who lives in the City of Boston. All Boston residents age 17 and older are asked to complete the census for their household. 

There are two important surveys that residents can complete at the same time they fill out the city census. The first is a Childcare Survey on the needs of city residents. Childcare has always been an important issue, but it has become even more critical during COVID. City leaders want to get an accurate picture of childcare needs so they can work on providing adequate resources. 

The second survey is critically important to those in the disability community. It is a Survey on the Disability Status of Boston residents. Your answers to this survey will help us learn more about people with disabilities who live in Boston. You are not required to fill it out, but it helps the City to improve services for this population. Your answers may be shared, but we will not share your name or specific personal details.

An accurate count of residents, including those with disabilities, helps the City ensure that municipal resources are distributed equitably to all. Boston’s annual census also helps officials maintain an up-to-date roll of active voters as well as a log of residents who are eligible for jury duty. The latter is crucial to ensuring that everyone has access to a fair jury trial.

There are four ways you can respond to the annual Boston census. 

• Return paper form: Mail back the completed paper form that was mailed to you to the Election Department using the included prepaid envelope.
• Respond online: Visit the census website to respond to the Boston Annual Resident Listing. Translations are available online in Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. The website includes a link to the optional Childcare Survey.
• Printable mail-in version: If for any reason one's household did not receive the Boston Annual Resident Listing or if the mailing was misplaced, a printable version is available online. For more details, visit the census website or call 617-635-8683 (VOTE).
• Call the Election Department: Residents can call 617-635-8683 (VOTE), Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., to speak to a representative about completing the census.

As always, please feel free to reach out to us if you need any information or assistance. You can dial 311 to reach City Hall, or call us at 617-635-3682. Our email is disability@boston.gov and the latest updates are available at on the City's website.

Until next week, please stay informed, stay safe, and take a few minutes to fill out the Survey on the Disability Status of Boston residents. 

Sincerely,

Commissioner Kristen McCosh