This case study details the City of Garland’s Real Estate Management Office (REMO) Process Improvement project, a comprehensive initiative to transform the city’s real estate lifecycle management. The effort streamlined processes for acquisition, disposition, struck-off properties, leases, and abandonment, improving efficiency, governance, and transparency.
Executive Summary:
The City of Garland’s Real Estate Management Office (REMO) faced fragmented and inconsistent real estate processes spread across multiple departments, resulting in delays, inefficiencies, and added costs. Real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leases, and research, were managed through disconnected, paper-based workflows with no centralized system for tracking or intake. To address these challenges, Dillon Morgan Consulting (DMC), in collaboration with city staff, redesigned and streamlined these operations into a unified, automated platform with standardized workflows, digital records, and real-time reporting, creating a more efficient, transparent, and accountable process for managing the city’s property portfolio.
Key results include:
- 69% reduction in manual steps for the application through appointment process.
- 110 automations implemented across six key real estate processes.
- Centralized, searchable repository for all documents and communications.
- Real-time tracking and reporting of project status.
- Elimination of paper records in compliance with retention policies.
Background
Prior to the improvement initiative, the City’s real estate processes were decentralized, with various departments handling different aspects independently. This lack of alignment resulted in duplicated efforts, difficulty in tracking requests from start to finish, and challenges in maintaining up-to-date records.
Approach
Dillon Morgan Consulting (DMC) partnered with the City of Garland’s Real Estate Management Office to map every workflow end to end and identify opportunities for automation and standardization. Using a structured three-phase methodology, DMC ensured efficiency and long-term sustainability throughout the transformation.
- Discovery: Assessed current processes through interviews, workshops, and document reviews to understand existing challenges.
- Future State Design: Developed standardized workflows, automation tools, and governance structures to streamline operations.
- Implementation: Developed and rolled out a customized automated software solution, delivered staff training, and established governance oversight to ensure compliance and adoption.
As part of the implementation, DMC consolidated all real estate requests into a single digital intake portal and introduced automated routing across six key processes: acquisition, struck-off, disposition, abandonment, leasing, and research. In total, more than 110 automations were deployed to standardize and accelerate tasks, providing real-time tracking and greater operational transparency.
Efficiencies & Cost Savings
- 69% reduction in manual steps via automation or elimination
- Savings in staff hours through elimination of redundant data entry and manual reviews
- Reduced paper handling and storage costs by transitioning to digital-only records
- Faster decision-making due to real-time status tracking and reporting
Impact
- 86% increase in overall operational efficiency across all real estate functions
- One-stop digital portal offering transparent tracking for staff and executives
- Scalable platform designed to support future growth and additional automation initiatives
Benefits
The REMO Process Improvement delivered wide-ranging benefits:
- Operational Efficiency: Streamlined intake and screening reduced delays and errors.
- Governance & Transparency: Clear roles, responsibilities, and tracking improved accountability.
- Improved Stakeholder Satisfaction: Applicants, staff, and council members experienced a smoother, faster process.
- Future Scalability: Established frameworks enable easy expansion of additional real estate functions and boards.
Governance & Change Management
A formal governance framework was introduced, with a steering committee overseeing the process and ensuring compliance with policies. Training materials, quick start guides, and video tutorials were provided to staff and council members to support adoption and sustainability.
Conclusion
The City of Garland’s REMO Process Improvement project is a model for how municipalities can modernize complex, multi-departmental processes. Through strategic design, automation, and governance, the city achieved significant efficiency gains, cost savings, and a more transparent, accountable system.
