Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Program: A Guide for Communities

What is LUCA?  

The Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Program is one of the only opportunities for local, tribal and state governments to contribute directly to the accuracy of the census in their respective jurisdictions. During LUCA, governments can review and revise the list of addresses that will receive mailings and in-person follow up during the 2030 census in their communities.  This is the only opportunity for local, tribal and state governments to ensure current addresses are complete and comprehensive. These governments are best positioned to identify living quarters missing from the address list, such as housing units built since the 2020 Census, those not visible from the street, or apartment units in larger structures.  

While the LUCA operation starts in 2027, preparations for LUCA need to begin now.   

Why is LUCA Important? 

If a household isn’t on the census address list, it is likely to be missed in 2030.    

Because the census relies on this address list to determine where to send forms or census enumerators, any missing address can result in an entire household being left uncounted. If an address is not listed, the Census Bureau will remain unaware that it has missed that household or facility. 

Data from the census helps determine federal funding – and often state funding – for communities for 10 years. Moreover, ensuring that your municipality has up-to-date address data is critical for local emergency services, disaster recovery, and transportation and infrastructure planning. 

Why Should You Start Preparing for LUCA Now? 

Although LUCA officially begins in 2027, local governments can lay essential groundwork now to ensure they are ready to participate fully when the time comes. That includes assessing your local GIS and data capacity, identifying areas with new development, and understanding which neighborhoods might need to be added or corrected in the Census address list. These early actions will make your actual LUCA review much more efficient and accurate. 

Key Steps to Prepare (2026-2027) 

• Learn about the LUCA operation, review past LUCA participation, and determine which municipal departments will be involved. 
• Reach out to county, regional council, and state partners to see if partnerships are a possibility. Local nonprofits and universities may be interested in partnering, as well. 
• Organize your address databases and identify areas where LUCA review would be most impactful. If necessary, begin doing field work operations 
• Conduct block-level address count comparisons and practice an address-level review before the official portal opens up in October 2027. 

Key Dates 

• 2026: Review past LUCA participation and identify stakeholder networks that may assist with LUCA tasks, identify potential funding sources, build and check local address record files, compare local address counts to Census Bureau counts for blocks, in order to identify areas that are at greatest risk for address problems. 
• May 2027: The highest elected official will receive an invitation to participate in LUCA. 
• May 2027-August 2027: Period where local governments can engage in training and hands on practice using the LUCA tools, provided by the Census Bureau. 
• October 2027-March 2028: LUCA portal open. Municipalities can submit suggestions to add, delete, or update the geographic location of residential addresses. 
• March 2029: Municipalities receive feedback on LUCA submissions and have an option to submit an appeal within 60 days of receiving that feedback. 
• September 2029: LUCA ends. Municipalities must destroy all confidential address-level materials. A summary of actions that the Census Bureau took as a result of a municipality’s submissions can be maintained.  

Interested in Learning More or Getting Started? 

• Check out NLC’s monthly LUCA Office Hours for specific questions or to chat with LUCA experts. 
• Watch NLC’s “Striving for an Accurate 2030 Census: How Cities Can Prepare for LUCA” webinar recording 
• Visit NLC’s LUCA Tool to see if your community participated in LUCA last decade and, if so, which municipal department participated. 
• Review the LUCA Resource Guide  
• Questions? Email census@nlc.org 

Appendix:   

Ideas for LUCA Address Gathering 

Interested in gathering address data? Your community likely has much of this data available. For ideas, think about: 

• Tax Assessor data provides information on property use, building characteristics, and unit counts. Reviewing these records can help identify multifamily properties, mixed-use buildings, or parcels where the recorded residential use does not align with what exists on the ground. 
• The property tax system can reveal discrepancies between taxed structures and known residential addresses. Comparing tax records with the Census Bureau’s can reveal potential missing units, newly assessed properties, or buildings with outdated residential classifications. 
• Utility records (e.g., electric, gas, water) can be leveraged to detect active service connections that may indicate occupied housing units. Multiple meters or accounts at a single address can signal additional or subdivided units missing from the Master Address File (MAF). 
• Permits, alteration records, and construction filings can identify newly built structures, legal conversions, and changes in unit counts. LUCA reviewers can use this data to track housing growth since the last census. 
• Certificates of Occupancy indicate the legal residential use and maximum number of units in a building. Reviewing current and amended certificates helps validate whether residential units are authorized and whether additional units may now exist. 
• Housing-related complaints (e.g., noise, illegal conversions, overcrowding) can signal the presence of unregistered or informal housing units. These records can help prioritize properties for further review or field verification. 
• Housing databases maintained by planning agencies can provide structured information on residential developments, rezonings, and planned housing projects. These datasets are useful for identifying recent or pipeline housing likely missing from the Census Bureau’s address list. 
• Public housing authority records include detailed address lists and unit counts for developments often underrepresented in census data. These records can be cross-checked to ensure all buildings and units are accurately reflected. 
• Publicly available maps (e.g. Google maps) allow staff to conduct virtual canvassing, reducing the need for in-person visits. These tools can help confirm address placement, unit access points, and building configuration changes over time. 
• E-911 and emergency management address files are designed to be comprehensive and current for response purposes. These datasets can help identify valid residential locations, unit-level addressing, and newly added structures. 
• Housing Developers and Group Quarters (GQ) operators (e.g. university dorms, nursing homes) can supply up-to-date address and unit information for newly completed or occupied properties. This can be especially important for large developments, dormitories, shelters, or senior housing facilities.  
• Department of Motor Vehicles address data can provide an indication of residency. Clusters of registered drivers at a location may indicate additional housing units not otherwise recorded. 
• Other State & City Agencies administering benefits, inspections, or licensing often maintain address lists tied to active households or facilities. Cross-agency comparisons can reveal addresses or units missing from census files. 
• Online real estate listings (e.g. Zillow, Redfin) can identify units that are actively marketed but not reflected in official records. Listings may highlight subdivided apartments, basement units, or recent renovations creating new residences. 
• For high-priority blocks (which may include those that were undercounted in 2020 or have challenging housing units), city staff can participate in field canvassing and walk the blocks looking for hidden or missing housing units. Canvassing can uncover basement apartments, garage conversions, or units behind commercial storefronts.  
• Street-level and aerial imagery can be used to visually verify the existence of structures, identify new construction, and flag potential residential entrances. These tools are especially useful for spotting back buildings, rooftop units, or properties that appear subdivided but are not captured in address lists.