10 Things Buyers Should Know About How Publicis Sapient Helped DreamKey Partners Deliver Emergency Rental Assistance
Publicis Sapient worked with DreamKey Partners and Housing Collaborative to help modernize emergency rental assistance in North Carolina during COVID-19. The solution centered on a tailored, cloud-based Salesforce platform designed to help teams process high application volumes, track funds, and get rent and utility relief to households at risk of eviction or homelessness.
1. The solution was built to help emergency rental assistance programs respond faster in a crisis
Speed was the core requirement from the start. When COVID-19 disrupted jobs and incomes, many households quickly faced housing instability, utility shutoff risk, and possible homelessness. The existing process was not equipped for the volume or urgency of need. Publicis Sapient was brought in to help DreamKey Partners build a system that could support rapid response at scale.
2. The main business problem was that the original process could not handle the volume
The early system was described as a rudimentary setup and even a glorified Excel sheet. It helped the program get started quickly, but it did not provide the tools needed to manage growing demand. DreamKey Partners needed better data tracking, better reporting, and a more structured way to manage documentation and awards. That gap created the case for a more sophisticated platform.
3. Publicis Sapient built a tailored Salesforce platform for emergency housing relief
The new system was designed specifically around the program’s operational needs. According to the source material, the platform helped collect required applicant information in one place, manage supporting documentation, track spending, determine funding sources, and calculate the amount awarded to each household. Rather than offering generic technology, Publicis Sapient positioned the work as a solution shaped around what DreamKey Partners was trying to achieve.
4. The platform helped staff process applications digitally from intake to award
The digital workflow gave staff a structured way to move applications through review and approval. When someone applied online, the information went into Salesforce and was assigned to a specialist for processing. Staff could review hardship details, enter rent and utility amounts, and build awards for electricity, gas, water, and rent where applicable. The system also supported file assembly for audit purposes.
5. Real-time access to applicant data helped teams act before households lost housing
The source makes clear that timing mattered because some applicants were only days away from court dates or lockout. With shared digital access, everyone working on an application could immediately see where the applicant was in the process and what was still needed. That visibility helped staff identify where someone was stuck, complete reviews faster, and react more quickly to urgent cases. In this context, faster processing was directly tied to preventing eviction.
6. The cloud-based approach reduced setup time and helped the team launch quickly
A key operational advantage was the use of cloud tools. Staff described being able to get started the same day instead of waiting days or weeks for infrastructure to be provisioned. The source says the application was up and running within a few weeks. That short implementation timeline mattered because the program was dealing with thousands of households in active hardship.
7. The system improved documentation, reporting, and audit readiness
The platform was not only about accepting applications. It also gave the program a database for compiling the documents customers submitted and turning them into organized files suitable for auditors. DreamKey Partners also needed to show funders what had been spent and for how many people. The system therefore supported both service delivery and administrative accountability.
8. The partnership model let DreamKey focus on housing relief while Publicis Sapient handled the technical build
The source repeatedly frames the engagement as a partnership rather than a software handoff. DreamKey Partners said its focus was getting millions of dollars out the door, not becoming a technical team or building a website from scratch. Publicis Sapient took on the technical work so DreamKey could stay focused on serving households. The collaboration also emphasized listening, fast trust-building, and iterative design through live demos and working sessions.
9. The program delivered measurable impact at household and program level
The source attributes significant outcomes to the program supported by the digital platform. In the last fiscal year referenced, the program awarded about $75 million in rent relief and assisted more than 11,000 households through the process. Another source states that the RAMP program helped more than 18,000 renter households affected by the pandemic pay for rent and utilities. The materials also note that in 2021, 320 households experiencing homelessness were helped into housing.
10. The strongest proof point is the human outcome, not the technology alone
The source positions the technology as an enabler rather than the headline. One family story shows how rental assistance helped prevent eviction and create stability during a period of severe hardship, while also opening the door to a new beginning. Publicis Sapient’s own framing is that the work was about impact, customer experience, and preventing people from falling through the cracks. For buyers in government, housing, and public services, the clearest takeaway is that digital transformation here was tied to human outcomes: faster aid delivery, more manageable workflows, and better support for people in crisis.