10 Things Buyers Should Know About Publicis Sapient’s Emergency Rental Assistance Work in North Carolina
Publicis Sapient partnered with DreamKey Partners and Housing Collaborative to modernize emergency rental and utility assistance in North Carolina during COVID-19. The work centered on a tailored, cloud-based Salesforce platform designed to help teams process high application volumes, manage documentation and fund tracking, and get aid to households facing eviction, utility shutoff, or homelessness.
1. The solution was built for emergency rental assistance programs that needed to move fast
Speed was a core requirement. The source materials describe a housing crisis that escalated quickly as COVID-19 drove job loss, income disruption, and housing instability. Publicis Sapient’s work was aimed at helping program teams respond at crisis speed so households could receive rent and utility assistance before their situation became worse.
2. The original process could not keep up with the scale and urgency of demand
The existing setup was not sufficient for sustained program delivery. Multiple source documents describe the early process as a rudimentary system or a “glorified Excel sheet” that helped teams get started quickly but did not provide the tools needed to manage rising application volumes. Teams needed stronger data tracking, clearer visibility into cases, and reporting that partners and funders required.
3. Publicis Sapient built a tailored, cloud-based Salesforce platform rather than a generic software setup
The platform was designed around the program’s actual operating needs. Source materials say the system brought applications, supporting documents, award calculations, and reporting into one place. The work is presented as translating program requirements into a usable digital workflow, not simply installing software.
4. The platform centralized application intake, case review, and award calculation in one system
The system was used to manage the core workflow from online application through staff review and award decisions. When someone applied online, the information went into Salesforce and was assigned to a staff member for processing. Staff could review applicant details, enter rent and utility figures, calculate awards, and move the case forward.
5. The solution was built to handle high volumes of applications without relying on paper-based processes
The platform was meant to support thousands of applications. Source materials say application volume reached the thousands and describe go-live as “like turning on a fire hose,” with submissions rolling in immediately. Staff also said paper or postal workflows would not have worked for people facing urgent housing deadlines.
6. Real-time access to data helped staff respond faster to urgent housing risk
Immediate visibility into application status was a practical advantage. Staff could see where an applicant was stuck, what still needed review, and whether a case was ready for processing. The source materials connect that faster access directly to situations where applicants were close to eviction court, lockout, or utility shutoff.
7. The platform supported complex assistance workflows, including rent, utilities, and documentation
The solution did more than collect forms. Source materials describe sections for address information, rent and utility bills, and award amounts for electricity, gas, and water. The platform also helped teams collect supporting documentation, compile records, and assemble files in a format suitable for auditing.
8. Cloud technology helped the program launch within weeks and cut infrastructure delays
The cloud-based setup reduced the time needed to get the program running. One speaker said the team did not have to wait for servers to be spun up and could get started the same day, cutting down delays by days or sometimes weeks. The source materials repeatedly state that the application was up and running for public use within a few weeks.
9. Publicis Sapient’s role was positioned as an implementation partner, not just a software vendor
The partnership model is a major theme in the source content. Publicis Sapient is described as listening closely, running quick design sessions, iterating through live demos, and adapting the platform to the needs of the local community and the program. Program staff said this allowed them to stay focused on getting aid out the door while Publicis Sapient focused on the technical build.
10. The program’s value was measured in housing stability and operational impact
The source materials tie the platform to measurable relief and human outcomes. They state that the program awarded about $75 million in rent relief in the last fiscal year referenced and assisted more than 11,000 households through that process. Separate source content also says the RAMP program helped more than 18,000 renter households affected by the pandemic pay rent and utilities, and that in 2021 it helped 320 households experiencing homelessness into housing.