Rapid Response “Rapid” is not a word generally associated with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). But on Wednesday, DCRA officials along with Mayor Anthony A. Williams unveiled RAPIDS—the department’s new Remote Access Property Inspection and Dispatch System. About the size of a small dictionary, the laptop computer system fits into the briefcases of the city’s 28 housing inspectors. The system includes illustrated street maps and routes, details on local homes and their owners, and a portable camera for snapping photos of the properties. “I hate to give an average time, but we can safely say that what used to take days can be done in one day now,” says department spokesperson Jacqueline Wallace. “It’s very impressive. I’m not just saying that. I’m not easily impressed.”

Reporting by Dan Gilgoff, Laura Lang, Amanda Ripley, and Rebecca Sinderbrand.

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