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4 reasons why CBAs are needed

Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) represent a way to bring local benefit to development projects. Typically, they involve a contract negotiated between a developer and a community-labor coalition. The aim is to ensure that an economic development project benefits local community residents instead of just investors.

Writing for the Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG), Greg LeRoy and Anna Purinton of Good Jobs First offer several reasons why CBAs are becoming more necessary and useful in urban areas.

The “Back to the City” movement. Eight of the 10 largest cities in the United States gained population during the 1990s. There are several reasons, but most of these cities saw gains for the first time in several decades.
Increasing private-sector interest and expertise in urban projects. A small but growing contingent of the development industry is becoming more interested and skilled in the complexities of developing urban land and, as a consequence, in negotiating with community groups.
Growing urban density. Some urban areas, especially those abutting coasts, mountains or other natural barriers that constrain their physical growth, are growing denser.
Declining federal aid to cities. The long-term trend in federal aid to cities has been in a decline. For example, President Bush’s Strengthening America’s Communities initiative pushed for program consolidation.