Using AI to Stay Ahead of Storms

As fall and winter approach, leading affordable housing owner Fairstead is exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can help the company prepare for and respond to hurricanes and other severe storms.

It’s just one example of how the firm is looking to apply the latest technology to streamline operations for both staff and residents.

“Overall, we see AI as very helpful for two things, in particular. One is looking at what tasks can we automate using AI. This can be communication as well as research and analysis. That’s one bucket,” says Will Peri, senior director of strategic operations and property management at Fairstead. “We also see AI as a big opportunity for developing software that helps us run our business better where we or a vendor previously couldn’t design it or it wasn’t worth investing the time. Now, the equation for what we invest in changes with the tools that we have with AI.”

With a portfolio of more than 30,000 units across the country, Fairstead is one of the nation’s largest affordable housing owners and developers. In recent years, the firm has expanded its use of technology and AI across property management operations, using AI-powered tools to support utility management, financial reporting, tenant communications, security monitoring, and operational analytics.

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