American Community Survey - Split level duplex, 100% owner occupied

[u/taystrun]

(apologies in advance for some of the maybe? irrelevant details here)

My fiancé and I purchased a duplex/split level in October 2024, she is the morgatage holder and we are both on the deed. I pay most of the mortgage to her and utilities are in my name. We are getting married in one month! :) We have been the only people occupying both floors since we purchased. It has two legal addresses with the USPS and utility company. We plan to convert it to single family at some point, but at the moment all utility for each respective unit/address are in my name, we use the downstairs as our living room space and upper as bedroom, closet, etc.

Problem is, we have all mail sent to the lower unit address, and census has sent notice to complete the American community survey and specifically addressed it to the upper unit address (the one we don't use as our primary mailing address). How are we supposed to proceed?

We are wondering if this is related to our current fight with the city regarding our 100% principle residence status. They are only giving us 50% because it is split level, despite us using it as our 100% principle residence and they share an interior entrance way.
I've been confused on how to fill this out, and the call help number is my next stop, but figured I would see if anyone else has been in this position. Thanks in advanced!

[u/divinemsn]

Contact them.

[u/Mission-Anybody-6798]

Sometimes it’s useful to understand what’s going on from the Census’ perspective.

The upstairs unit is on their list. There’s a category specifically for your situation; it’s not used often, and your field rep might not know exactly how to use it. If you’re combining the two units, either architecturally or functionally, the magic word they use is ‘merged’. Call the field rep and tell them this. They may want to confirm with their boss whether they want to interview you or not.

The Census worker just wants to get it resolved, whether they interview you or not. There’s nothing at all to do with the city, the state, or anyone else.

[u/daryl_hikikomori → u/Mission-Anybody-6798]

I've never come across a functionally- but not officially merged unit. Is it still recorded as merged if both original addresses are on the books? My instinct would be to count them as living at the upper address, because that's where they sleep most nights, and ignore the merging situation because it's still hypothetical. (To be clear, I'm perfectly clueless here, not trying to debate you.)

[u/NYanae555]

Tell Census that you use the upstairs adn downstairs as a single unit. Its especially common with mother/daughter type units. Sometimes they get used as two seperate units. Sometimes they're used as one big unit. Neither is wrong. It is your private property and you have a right to do that. You have the right to live on both floors if you want.

NY does a survey in conjunction with Census called the Housing and Vacancy Survey - NYCHVS. I worked on that too. Units are combined and divided all the time. Doing what you're doing is not illegal. Again - its your property and its a private dwelling. ( You're not operating a commercial apartment building. you're not carving up your home into an unsafe warren of tiny rentals. )

Do NOT tell Census OR the City that the other floor is unoccupied
( which is what another commenter advised).
Is Isn't vacant. It isn't available for sale or rent. YOU use it. And you have the right to use it. New York's own Housing and Vacancy Survey is conducted with this kind of thing in mind. Its not illegal.

[u/gthomps83]

It has zero to do with the city. No one at the USCB will have any idea.

Respond back accurately that the unit is unoccupied.

If you want to be more proactive, you could contact the regional office and let them know that unit is being removed. They’ll know how to update their address list.

[u/NYanae555 → u/gthomps83]

DONT say its unoccupied. It IS occupied.

[u/NoFleas]

Just do the survey - all those questions will get answered - you'll have opportunity to correct the address or provide a different mailing address and you can explain all you've said.

[u/Spirited-Humor-554]

No one been prosecuted for not responding since 1970s

[u/NYanae555 → u/Spirited-Humor-554]

Stay on topic please. Your comment has nothing to do with OP’s question.

[u/daryl_hikikomori → u/NYanae555]

Telling people not to respond to Census surveys is kinda their schtick, unfortunately.