BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority Board will approve the purchase of 15 self-serve kiosks to allow residents to pay rent and submit work orders, housing applications, and other paperwork electronically.

The Dynatouch kiosks cost nearly $500,000 and the purchase was made possible through the federal CARES Act. They will be located at sites throughout the BMHA’s housing portfolio.

Board Chairman David Rodriguez noted that Authority residents currently have no way to make rent payments, or submit forms except by mail or in-person.

A partial roll-out of the kiosks is expected by the end of the year.

The board also approved a $150,000 contract to for a major upgrade of the Authority’s YARDI operating system and $55,000 for the purchase of 50 new computers for BMHA staff and resident services offices.

“All of these actions will enable the BMHA to work as a 21st Century entity,” said BMHA Executive Director Gillian D. Brown. “We have been working toward improving our internal electronic operations and offering residents an electronic payment option, and the CARES Act funding allows us to accelerate those efforts.”