Community Benefits Agreements Making Development Projects Accountable

Community benefits agreements (CBAs) are legally binding contracts between developers and community organizations that outline the benefits and commitments that a developer will provide to the community in exchange for their support of a development project. Typically, CBAs aim to ensure that a development project benefits the community by involving residents in the decision-making process and addressing the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the development. In recent years, CBAs have become increasingly popular as a tool for holding developers accountable and ensuring that developments meet community needs and priorities.

Community benefits agreements have several advantages over other forms of community engagement and consultation. Firstly, CBAs provide a legally binding framework for negotiations between community organizations and developers, which ensures that developers fully understand community needs and priorities. Secondly, CBAs can help to prevent developers from making promises that they are unable to keep by requiring them to commit to specific deliverables and timelines. Finally, CBAs can also help to ensure that the benefits of a development project extend beyond the developer`s immediate stakeholders and are shared more broadly with the community at large.

CBAs are often used to address a wide range of community issues related to development projects. These issues can include affordable housing, local hiring, environmental sustainability, public transportation, and access to community amenities such as parks, schools, and community centers. By addressing these issues, CBAs help to ensure that development projects do not negatively impact the communities in which they are built, but rather contribute to the social and economic well-being of the community.

One example of a successful CBA is the 2012 agreement between the developer of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and several community organizations. The CBA required the developer to commit to hiring at least 30% of its construction workforce from the local community, investing $200,000 per year in workforce development programs, and contributing $3 million to a local community fund. The CBA also required the developer to ensure that local residents were given priority in the hiring process for permanent jobs at the arena and to provide free tickets to local community organizations and schools.

Another example of a successful CBA is the 2014 agreement between the developer of the Hollywood Center project in Los Angeles and several community organizations. The CBA required the developer to commit to creating 1,000 affordable housing units, investing $15 million in community benefits, hiring at least 30% of its construction workforce from the local community, and ensuring that construction noise and dust did not negatively impact local residents. The CBA also required the developer to provide space in the development for a community center and a health clinic.

In conclusion, community benefits agreements have emerged as a powerful tool for holding developers accountable and ensuring that development projects benefit the communities in which they are built. By involving local residents in the decision-making process and addressing community needs and priorities, CBAs can help to ensure that development projects contribute to the social and economic well-being of the community. As such, community benefits agreements are likely to become increasingly popular as a means of ensuring that development projects are accountable and responsive to community needs and priorities.