HACA leverages OnBase for faster eligibility exams, stronger compliance, and audits made easy.
The problem
Housing authorities are accustomed to balancing the needs of two very different groups. First, these agencies must meet the needs of the citizens they serve. Second, they must also satisfy the demands of funding agencies that require more reporting and transparency. The Housing Authority of Alameda County (HACA) is no different.
HACA’s Bay Area offices were drowning in paper. At least 20% of documents were stored in difficult-to-access silos making it hard to efficiently conduct re-examinations to determine tenant eligibility. Preparing for annual HUD and accounting audits took staff away from regular responsibilities. And, to top it all off, it was nearly impossible to keep confidential documents secure.
When HUD further tightened tenant confidentiality requirements, HACA leaders knew they couldn’t wait any longer. The agency needed more than just document imaging; they also needed a workflow solution to help automate processes.
The solution
First, HACA set out to develop an indexing scheme that would meet HUD requirements and internal business rules. Then, to free up office space, HACA scanned two years of documents before taking on its first enterprise content management (ECM) project with OnBase content services.
More than just an electronic filing cabinet, OnBase improves business-critical processes. Although document management is a critical component of the solution, workflow, records management and business process management also plays a part.
For HACA, OnBase could help reduce re-examination cycle times and help automate eligibility processing; cut legwork and time for HUD and accounting audits; and secure sensitive tenant information to stay in compliance with HUD regulations
The result
At least once a year, each of HACA’s 7,253 tenant families must go through a reexamination process to ensure they are still eligible for Section 8 housing and at what subsidy level. For HACA, this means sending out more than 600 custom re-examination packets each month. Before OnBase, this required a minimum of two mailings. First, a generic packet of forms was mailed. When the packets were returned, staff reviewed them to see if additional forms were needed. Then, a second set of forms was prepared, mailed and returned before HACA could process them and determine eligibility.
Now, HACA uses information from the tenant’s previous re-examination to automatically create a custom packet. At the same time, an e-form is created in OnBase to track all documents sent to and returned from the tenant. When forms are returned and complete, OnBase automatically completes the received date and inserts them in the appropriate case worker’s workflow queue. All forms and documents are instantly available.
Furthermore, OnBase rapidly reduces the time taken to prepare for audits and, with clear organization and seamless document retrieval, auditors spend less time in HACA’s office. The improved organization also means improved security, helping HACA stay compliant with how they manage and retain sensitive tenant information.
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