Dallas Housing Authority Is Using Artificial Intelligence to Reduce Wait Times, and Could Profit Off the Technology

Landlords have long complained that red tape prevents them from accepting federal housing vouchers, limiting the places that low-income tenants can live. Those in wealthier, whiter neighborhoods tend to turn voucher-holders away, driving segregation. One bureaucratic slowdown that has particularly frustrated landlords is how long it can take for inspectors from DHA, Dallas' public housing authority, to certify that an apartment meets quality standards. This process can stretch on for weeks -- the agency manages more than 17,000 units across seven counties -- during which time the apartments sit empty. "For them, vacancies are money. Instead of continuing to stick our heads in the sand ... we have to figure this out differently," said the authority's CEO, Troy Broussard.