NEW HAVEN — Lisa Hargreaves said she had taken advantage of filling out the census on the internet and knew why it was important.

A cheer went up from the three elected officials who were standing on her porch Friday in their surprise visit to Thompson Street in Hargreaves’ Newhallville neighborhood.

“Awesome,” state Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, as U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., handed Hargreaves a flier to convince more people to participate in the decenniel ritual that will determine the amount of federal money New Haven will receive in future grants.

“You have friends and family. We got to make sure that everyone signs up, fills out the census by the end of the month,” Murphy said, referring to the new deadline. “Sorry to ambush you,” Murphy said as the contingent and other neighborhood leaders continued their walk.

Murphy was optimistic that their visit will help. “The word will spread that we were here,” he said.

Hargreaves said she would tell her tenants, but she wasn’t sure they understood the process.

Only one other person answered the door during that early afternoon visit to the street, either because they were not home or were ignoring the group. Murphy opted for the latter, attributing their reluctance to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said President Donald Trump could have extended the deadline for the return of the census, but instead he shortened it.

Only 52.7 percent of New Haven residents have responded, with 26 days left, according to Keith Lawrence, deputy director for comprehensive planning, the point person at City Hall on the census.

His tally of responses by neighborhood showed downtown/East Rock at only 37.7 percent participation; 39.4 percent response for Hill North; and 42.1 percent for Newhallville.

Some neighborhoods were clumped together around 44 percent, which included Fair Haven/East Rock and Hill North/South. The Dixwell area was at 49 percent, while the top response rate was 51.9 percent for Dwight.

The percentages, however, were higher in several cases than in 2010. For Hartford, the response so far is at 47 percent, and 52 percent for Bridgeport.

With few people around, there was time for the city Democrats to catch up with the senator.

Asked whether Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, should be more visible, Murphy thought he was being responsible in his appearances.

“I’m glad he is getting out and traveling more, but at the same time, he has to be careful. He has to model the right behavior. ... Biden has to be careful to send the right signals about mask wearing, social distancing,” Murphy said.

The chatter also touched on evictions and help for renters.

“It is non-negotiable. The White House and Republicans said we are not going to support any bill that has rental assistance in it,” Murphy said of GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s position.

“That is a recipe for disaster. It will end up with evictions and foreclosures and our homeless shelters overwhelmed right during the winter months when they can’t handle that increase in volume. This is going to be hugely problematic if we can’t find some way to support the rental market in this country,” Murphy said.

New Haven just put together its own plan to use $800,000 in federal CARE funds to provide qualified renters with $3,000 toward back rent and $4,000 to homeowners for mortgage payments if they can’t pay because of income loss tied to the pandemic. The rent money would go directly to the landlords.

“When you are talking about lower-income tenants, that money is going right back into the economy,” the senator said.

On census participation, “We are doing everything we can,” Addie Kimbrough, one of the main census leaders in New Haven, said of the city’s effort to encourage participation. “I’m out here all the time,” she said, although the low response is worrisome. Her best take was 40 sign-ups in front of a neighborhood drugstore on Dixwell Avenue.

Alder Steve Winter from Newhallville said people would more likely be home at dinnertime or on the weekends. Porter said she was disappointed that additional people from the neighborhood were not hired to go door-to-door.

Bill Cornelius of Madison is one of the people hired by the census to do that.

He said he has gotten a variety of responses from those happy to be asked to participate, to people who have little faith in the government and refuse to register. Although it can’t be shared with other agencies, others still have their doubts that it might be.

“I’m not having any problem personally, because I can relate to a lot of people,” Cornelius said of the successes he has had as he covers city neighborhoods.