All About the New "QR Codes": Efficient Information for Condo & Co-op Boards

With some skepticism, the president followed instructions and went to the Google app store and downloaded a "QR Reader" into his smartphone. He then pointed his phone's camera at the oddly designed square, took a picture, and was instantly transported to a web page for the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). There, he found details on an ongoing project he was researching — including the approved scope of work, identities of the property owner and job applicant and other approved projects associated with the permit, as well as complaints and violations related to the location.
 
"Quick Response"

Ah, technology! QR ("quick response") codes are becoming ever-more-ubiquitous, thanks in part to a campaign begun by the city on February 22, when it introduced them into its permitting system to speed up the processing of information.
 
The codes, developed in the early 1990s to track manufacturing inventory, have morphed into a marketing tool for many retailers, businesses, and organizations. No wonder, too: They offer a quick and easy shortcut to passing along large amounts of information, and are becoming more common in magazines, advertisements and catalogs, as well as on product packaging and now construction sites.
 
They have become so popular as a data-sharing device that at least one city, Tamarac, Fla., is using QR codes at its parks and facilities, as well as on public art. In San Francisco, over 500 restaurants and other businesses now feature a QR code that links tourists to Citysearch for reviews and other Web-based content.
 
QR Q&A

QR codes enable consumers to learn more about a product or service by scanning a pixilated, black-and-white image with a smartphone camera. The code is connected to a unique URL or Web address, but unlike a Universal Product Code label, QR codes can embed several hundred times more information.
 
How does this affect co-ops and condos? The DOB's initiative will provide New Yorkers with instant access to information related to buildings and construction sites throughout the city. Construction permits will have QR codes added to them and all permits are expected to have QR codes by roughly 2013. The codes will allow anyone to gather more information about who is performing work, including the addresses and telephone numbers of property owners and job applicants.
 
The city says QR codes will provide more efficient access to government data, help the public know what's being built in their neighborhoods and allow people to make more informed decisions about responding to a violation or making a complaint. "This is another example of how we are using the latest advances in technology to increase accountability and provide more information to the public," says Jennifer Gilbert, a spokeswoman at DOB. "We're very excited about it."
 
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