ATTACHMENT_A_-__Census_Bureau_Housing_Unit_Address_and_Coordinate_Data_Guidelines_-.docx

ATTACHMENT A

U.S. Census Bureau Optimal Address Data Guidelines – 50 States and D.C.

This document outlines the address data elements and metadata that the Census Bureau identifies as optimal components in address and structure datasets. This document is not intended to serve as a template or file layout, rather it is a guide to the address elements and metadata of the address data the Census Bureau is seeking.

Table 1 - Address Elements: City Style1 Addresses

Address Element

DESCRIPTION

FGDC Address Data Standard Reference3

Complete Subaddress Also known as the ‘within structure identifier’, it is the portion of an address that identifies the specific apartment, unit, suite, floor, trailer, or pad represented by the address record. It should include both descriptor (e.g. APT, SUITE) and unit identifier (e.g. 1 ,A, BACK), where applicable include names assigned to a structure, i.e. "Homestead Highrise" or "Uptown Condominiums" and Identifiers assigned to a structure, i.e "Tower B" or "Building 1".

2.2.4

2) United States Postal Service (USPS) Post Office name from which mail is delivered to the address Preferably, the name given by the U.S. Postal Service to the post office from which mail is delivered to the address.

Table 2 - Address Elements: Non-City Style2 Addresses (provided only if City Style address not available)

Address Element

DESCRIPTION

FGDC Address Data Standard Reference3

Complete Subaddress Should include both descriptor (e.g. APT, SUITE) and unit identifier (e.g. 1 ,A, BACK), where applicable include names assigned to a structure, i.e. "Homestead Highrise" or "Uptown Condominiums" and Identifiers assigned to a structure, i.e "Tower B" or "Building 1".

2.2.4

2) United States Postal Service (USPS) Post Office name from which mail is delivered to the address Preferably, the name given by the U.S. Postal Service to the post office from which mail is delivered to the address.

2.2.6.1

Table 3 - Additional Data Elements (provided with either City Style or Non-City Style address)

Data Element

DESCRIPTION

FGDC Address Data Standard Reference3

• mailing purposes or is known to be an address recognized by the USPS for mailing purposes

• location purposes including emergency services such as police, fire, and rescue (E-911 addresses)

• both mailing and location purposes

2.3.6.9

Address Type A value indicating the real world phenomenon represented by the address. This field differentiates between residential, commercial, and other uses. Examples may include: Single family residential, Multi-family residential, Mobile home, Commercial, Industrial, Campground, Cemetery.

*Multiunit Indicate if the living quarter is part of a multi unit (for example, an apartment building) where each unit shares the same Basic Street Address (BSA) and is uniquely identified by building, floor, and/or unit information

*Multiunit Count For multi units, if the exact (‘real’) unit identifiers are not known, do not create individual records for each unit. Instead, provide only a single record of the Basic Street Address and use the MULTIUNIT COUNT element to indicate the number of units at the address.

*Where applicable

Notes and Definitions

1) The Census Bureau classifies housing unit and group quarters addresses that have an address number and street name address, for example, 212 Elm Street or 137 Clark Ct., Apt. 316, as city-style addresses. These addresses are used for mailing or to provide location for emergency services, such as police, fire, and rescue (E-911 addresses).

2) The Census Bureau classifies addresses that do not include a house number and/or a street name as noncity-style addresses. Frequently used noncity-style mailing addresses include General Delivery, Rural Route and Box Number, Highway contract route and Box Number, and Post Office Box addresses. These types of addresses are generally not used to update the Census Master Address File, as they are less likely to match existing records (and therefore cause potential duplication) and are not typically geocodable.

3) This column refers to the applicable section of the Federal Geographic Data Committee's "United States Thoroughfare, Landmark, and Postal Address Standard” (FGDC-STD-016-2011) available at:

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/street-address/index_html

4) TRACT/BLOCK: A Tract Number must contain six digits even if there are zeros in front or behind a number (Examples: 0832.01 or 0092.00). BLOCK Must be a four digit Block number (Example: 1001). Note that if the dataset covers addresses in more than one county, then STATE and COUNTY codes must accompany the TRACT/BLOCK number. It is also important that the Census Bureau understand how the Tract/Block codes were derived or assigned to the address records.

5) ADDRESS COORDINATES: The Census Bureau prefers that the coordinates represent the structure associated with the address. If the coordinates are derived using a variety of methods (i.e. building footprints, GPS collection at front door, parcel centroid, etc.) additional data should be included specifying the means of derivation. Otherwise, if all coordinate pairs are derived in the same way, metadata at the file level will suffice. Note that accompanying metadata should indicate the geographic reference system in which the coordinates are stored.

6) FACILITY NAME: Facility name is the broader name for entities such as "University of Maryland" or "St. Anthony Hospital" that contain multiple residential buildings, such as dormitories.

7) The Census Bureau defines GROUP QUARTERS as a place where people live or stay, in a group living arrangement, that is owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. This is not a typical household-type living arrangement. These services may include custodial or medical care as well as other types of assistance, and residency is commonly restricted to those receiving these services. People living in group quarters are usually not related to each other. Group Quarters are the individual buildings located within a Facility. Example: “Reed Dormitory” would be a GQ name. There are instances where the GQ Name and Facility Name are potentially the same. Example: Shady Acres (Facility Name) may have only one housing building (GQ), which would make the Facility name and GQ names the same.

General Notes

Address examples provided in this document are fictitious, not covered by Title 13, and are intended for illustrative purposes only.

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