Counting the Homeless:
Limitations of 1990 Census Results and Methodology
T-GGD-91-29: Published: May 9, 1991. Publicly Released: May 9, 1991.
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GAO discussed the limitations in the Census Bureau's shelter and street night enumeration of the homeless. GAO noted that: (1) the Bureau cautioned against use of data from the 1990 enumeration to construct a count of the homeless population; (2) the Bureau's 1990 approach, which did not utilize opportunities identified in a 1984 evaluation of census operations, could be inferior to its 1980 approach; (3) despite positive results from a daytime survey method it tested in 1989, the Bureau was unable to use those methods due to its late start in planning and testing for counting the homeless; (4) if the Bureau had aggressively addressed the 1984 recommendations and initiated planning and testing earlier, it could have been able to overcome the procedural problems with a daytime count; (5) the nighttime count suffered from a number of operational limitations, including large numbers of cases not being interviewed or even seeing enumerators; (6) the Bureau noted that 44 of its district offices missed 5 percent of shelters; and (7) efforts to develop estimates of the homeless population were hampered by the lack of an agreed-upon and measurable definition of homelessness and its primary components.
Mar 2, 2021
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High-Risk Series:
Dedicated Leadership Needed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk AreasGAO-21-119SP: Published: Mar 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2021. -
High-Risk Series:
Dedicated Leadership Needed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk AreasGAO-21-383T: Published: Mar 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2021. -
High-Risk Series:
Dedicated Leadership Needed to Address Limited Progress in Most High-Risk AreasGAO-21-384T: Published: Mar 2, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2021.
Feb 3, 2021
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Fixed-Price-Incentive Contracts:
DOD Has Increased Their Use but Should Assess Contributions to OutcomesGAO-21-181: Published: Feb 3, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2021.
Jan 29, 2021
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Federal Real Property:
Additional Documentation of Decision Making Could Improve Transparency of New Disposal ProcessGAO-21-233: Published: Jan 29, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 29, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
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Federal Rulemaking:
Selected EPA and HHS Regulatory Analyses Met Several Best Practices, but CMS Should Take Steps to Strengthen Its AnalysesGAO-21-151: Published: Dec 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 13, 2021
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Department of Energy Contracting:
Improvements Needed to Ensure DOE Assesses Its Full Range of Contracting Fraud RisksGAO-21-44: Published: Jan 13, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 2021.
Dec 16, 2020
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Data Governance:
Agencies Made Progress in Establishing Governance, but Need to Address Key MilestonesGAO-21-152: Published: Dec 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 16, 2020.
Dec 9, 2020
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2020 Census:
The Bureau Concluded Field Work but Uncertainty about Data Quality, Accuracy, and Protection RemainsGAO-21-206R: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020.
Dec 3, 2020
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2020 Census:
Census Bureau Needs to Assess Data Quality Concerns Stemming from Recent Design ChangesGAO-21-142: Published: Dec 3, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 3, 2020.
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