CENSUS TAKERS BEGIN DOOR-TO-DOOR CANVASS SOURCE} BY KRYSTN SHRIEVE STAFF WRITER.

SIMI VALLEY - Michelle Williams headed to neighborhoods Thursday with census forms in hand, ready to knock on the doors of residents who missed the deadline.

Williams, a Simi Valley stay-at-home mother, is among 800 residents-turned-census workers who started canvassing Ventura County on the first day of a three-month effort to reach households that didn't turn in their forms by April 19.

As she made her way down city streets, she said her house would not be on the list.

``I filled out my census (form) right away,'' Williams said after striking out at the new Montaire housing development, where most of the addresses on her list were for homes that hadn't been built.

``I have two kids in schools, and I want to make sure they have classrooms and not just bungalows. I want to see more senior centers built and have adequate programs for people with disabilities,'' she said.

In fact, much of Ventura County - the best in the state so far for turning in forms - was not on the list of census scofflaws.

Vince Galvez, office manager in the Ventura office of the U.S. Census Bureau, said Ventura County has between a 73 percent and 75 percent return rate of the census forms - the highest rate so far statewide.

But for the next few months, area residents like Williams, who have been specially trained by the Census Bureau, will be visiting the county's more than 71,000 unresponsive households.

Galvez said there are many reasons people don't fill out their census information - including, as Williams found, that there are no people living at addresses census forms were sent to.

``Sometimes we hear that people distrust the government or there is a lack of awareness or they just flat out say it's none of our business,'' Galvez said.

``Some of the questions seem like they might not make sense,'' he said. ``But it's important to answer them. We want to know the demographics of our neighborhoods. We want to know how long it takes you to get to work because it might show a need for more public transportation in the area or a need to widen the road.''

Williams said she was slightly nervous about approaching strangers about the forms.

``There are a whole number of reasons people might not have filled them out. Maybe they forgot. Maybe they lost it. Or maybe they just don't want to give out that information,'' she said.

And she said, she is prepared to have doors slammed in her face.

``I didn't write the census questions, so I'm not going to let my feelings get hurt,'' Williams said. ``I'll just do my best to explain the importance of the census and hope that people understand that I'm a resident just like them. I'm one of their neighbors, and I'm just trying to do my part for the community.''

Galvez said census representatives will do whatever they can to get the information. They'll stop by the house in the early morning hours, at night and on weekends. If necessary, they'll even ask the neighbors about residents whom they cannot contact.

In March, census representatives went to the county's homeless shelters and took whatever steps necessary to count other homeless county residents. A follow-up count of the homeless is planned for July.

``We will try everything to get information we need,'' Galvez said. ``If you want privacy, fill out the form the first time around. If you fill out the form and mail it, it will get scanned into the computer and no one will read it.''

The 1990 census reported that Ventura County had 650,000 residents. So far, the 2000 census figures are showing an increase in population of between 100,000 and 150,000 people.

Galvez said census figures are used to determine the number of seats a state gets in the House of Representatives, political boundaries and how much money is handed down to local governments for Community Development Block Grants and to build schools, senior centers and other facilities.

Residents received one of two census forms: The short form asked basic questions such as age, race and number of residents in the household, while the longer form, sent to every sixth household, asked more in-depth questions.

Galvez said all census material is kept confidential, scanned by a computer and sealed for 72 years.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in Simi and Conejo edition only) U.S. Census Bureau Crew Leader Michelle Williams walks through a Simi Valley neighborhood druing

Thursday's count.

(2 -- color -- ran in Simi and Conejo edition only) Michelle Williams' badge alerts Simi Valley residents of her business.

(3) Representatives of the U.S. Census Bureau are urging Simi Valley households to complete their census forms.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News