Home and businesses owners should keep an eye on their mailboxes and prepare for a new address.

According to City Planner Jeff Noffsinger, his department is in the process of reviewing and verifying all the addresses in the city for the U.S. Census Bureau.

"The intent is to create the most accurate list of addresses for the U.S. Census Bureau," Noffsinger said. "We're going through our records and comparing them to the census records."

Part of the process is correcting some addresses and re-addressing others, he said.

"We're basically reassigning some addresses. There are some single family structures that have been converted to multi-family, with half addresses. We'll be getting rid of the half addresses," Noffsinger said.

According to Millicent Weiss, who is coordinating the process for the planning department, there are 94 half addresses which will be changed Jan. 1.

"We'll be sending out letters to the property owners informing them what their new address will be," Noffsinger said. "We'd like for them to change over to the new address as quickly as they can, but we'll give them up to a year to make the change. Businesses will have to change stationary and letterheads."

He added the postal service will continue to deliver mail to any residence or business with either the new or the old address.

"I have been assured by the postal service that any change in address will not adversely affect mail delivery," Noffsinger said.

The accuracy of the city's addressing system is important for numerous reasons, chief among them being receipt of the correct amount of federal funds that are distributed according to population.

"It's really important for us to have an accurate census so Warsaw can get all the funds due us for programs based on population," he said. "And it's also important in terms of politics. There is a concern that Indiana could loose a congressional district if there is a large enough loss of population."

Another goal of the address inventory is to ensure all homes and businesses have their addresses properly posted. This is important in terms of emergency services.

"Most homes have their addresses posted, but most businesses don't," he said. "All homes and businesses are supposed to have their address, at a minimum height of 3 inches, posted above or next to the door."

Noffsinger said residents with questions about a new address or those who believe they need a new address, should call the planning and building department at 372-9550. [[In-content Ad]]