What Would You Do?

From greatergreaterwashington.org...

"Another obstacle the District faces is getting 2010 Census forms to those who live in what the Census calls "transformed housing". Homes that have been subdivided into multiple units often only have one mailing address. A number of homes, especially in more urban communities, have basement apartments that are rented out separately from the rest of the house, but there is only one mailbox. Since the Census Bureau uses mailing addresses to send out forms, this means that a house that has multiple units but only one official mailing address will only get one form. Each unit/household should get their own questionnaire to make sure all persons are counted correctly."

Now, there are a number of people who have English Basements in the District that they "illegally" rent out to another person(s). I say "illegal" because unless you have a Certificate of Occupancy in order for that unit to be legal (registering the unit with the District, getting it separately metered, etc.). Those that don't get a C of O for the unit typically do so because extra scrutiny that is now on them from the District--and I mean scrutiny in the sense of increased financial obligations (ex. the cost to get the unit separately metered, the increase in your assessed value (and ultimately taxes) now that you have an extra "dwelling unit" in your residence, I believe there are annual "C of O" fees that are associated as well, etc.). On the flip side, not getting the C of O opens up a litany of potential problems--mainly, should you have to evict that person, you really wouldn't have a legal leg to stand on because you don't have a C of O (I've been told leasing out an English Basement without a C of O is akin to a legal land mine). But that's getting off topic.

Let's just say you were leasing out your English Basement, illegally, to someone. Would you go out of your way to make sure that person receives and fills out a census form? Worse yet, would you go out of your way to make sure they didn't fill out the form?

And yes, I know the District government and the census bureau are two completely different entities that probably don't share info (that which isn't public). Even further, as slow and ssa drawkcab the District government is, they probably wouldn't make the change or do anything if you walked to their offices and told them that the person illegally leasing out your English basement was counted in the census. But still, for the sake of argument...what would you do?

Cheers.