Many immigrants, especially the undocumented, are hesitant to answer the census, fearing that their personal information will be shared with landlords or federal immigration authorities. This is despite the fact that all census information is protected by federal law and cannot be shared with any person or government agency. Immigrants are also likely to live in what the Census Bureau calls "hard-to-count" areas. These neighborhoods have high concentrations of housing and demographic characteristics that make a full count particularly challenging; some of these include non-English speaking households, overcrowded housing arrangements and renters. In fact, four out of the top ten counties with the largest number of people living in hard-to-count areas are in New York City.

The 2000 Census missed more people in New York than in any other US city. A study from PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimated that the undercount cost the five boroughs almost $850 million in federal funding over the past decade. We can't afford to let this happen again.

Non-profits and local organizations across the city have been pounding the pavement to get the word out to immigrants in their communities. And it helps to have voices like Sen. Gillibrand supporting a full count of her undocumented constituents.

Census forms were mailed out to city residents this week, and the clock is ticking. We have until April 1st to help ensure that every New Yorker is counted--no matter their citizenship status. The census provides a snapshot of what NYC looks like today, to what extent we've changed over the last decade, and helps our leaders plan for the future. It's in our shared interest that all New Yorkers show up in the picture.