Public housing authorities are particularly challenged when it comes to document management. While HUD allows for electronic records to be maintained for most document types, age-old standards for maintaining documents with original signatures in paper format have slowed the pace at which PHAs have adopted electronic record systems.
Most documents are received from tenants and landlords through snail mail, even with the implementation of portals where users can upload electronic documents. PHAs are also subject to complex data retention policies required by HUD and state regulations. Collecting, securing and purging paper documents requires significant effort from agencies resources, effort which could be re-allocated to better purposes. Few competitors provide fully integrated document scanning, upload and archive features that make document management effortless.