Transforming Affordable Housing Application Management
Background
Tishman Speyer is a global owner, operator, and developer of real estate operating across North America, Brazil, Europe, India, and China. The Mission Rock Development team, in partnership with the San Francisco Giants and Port of San Francisco, manages a 28-acre mixed-use development project. A key component of this project involves processing and managing below-market-rate housing applications, requiring extensive applicant communication and documentation management.
Problem
The team was struggling with an entirely paper-based workflow for processing affordable housing applications. The existing system relied heavily on manual processes that were time-consuming and inefficient.
Challenges
- Manual data entry for all applicant information and mail merges
- Paper applications requiring scanning and manual uploading
- Decentralized communication across phones, emails, and paper mail
- Unorganized document storage with single shared folders
- Limited capacity to process only 20 applicants at a time
- No systematic way to track application status and progress
Solution
Ace Workflow implemented their 'Minimize Manual' process to transform the paper-based system into a streamlined digital workflow:
- Digital Application System: Replaced paper PDFs with electronic signatures and automated workflows
- Centralized Communication: Automated email, phone, text, and mail notifications through Zapier
- Organized Document Management: Created individual Box folders with unique links for each applicant
- Automated Status Tracking: Implemented system to track and log all application activities
- Executive Dashboard: Developed overview dashboard for monitoring team progress and application status
"We were able to process over 3,000 applications in less than a year, which is roughly three times faster than anyone ever predicted. No one had ever processed that many applications that quickly in the city."
Development Team Manager
The Transformation
From: Manual paper-based system limited to processing 20 applications at a time, with scattered communication channels and disorganized document storage.
To: Automated digital system capable of processing hundreds of applications simultaneously, with centralized communication and organized document management.
Direct Impact
- Processed 3,000 applications in under one year (3x faster than standard)
- Increased processing capacity from 20 to hundreds of applications simultaneously
- Improved employee satisfaction by reducing administrative tasks
- Enhanced transparency through comprehensive tracking and logging
- Better team empowerment through clear productivity metrics
- Streamlined document management with individual applicant folders
- Improved accuracy in tracking and processing applications
