The idea for a community census emerged from a series of open fora sponsored by the SCLC in early 2004. Community members expressed the need to gather information on their own communities, the SCLC's target communities in order to identify needs and plan for how to address them. A committee for community development was formed and members worked together with SCLC staff and visitors from the University of Houston-Clear Lake to develop an 8 page census questionnaire. Topics covered include demographic, educational, environmental, and land use. Data are input by local community members and SCLC staff to a GIS software program to produce digital maps for community planning use.

Got to SCLC's target communities to learn more about the area censused.