The Value of Community Benefits Agreements

Barclay Center

By Roger L. Green

On Thursday March 11, 2010 numerous dignitaries and civic leaders gathered at the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn to celebrate the groundbreaking for the sports arena for the Nets basketball franchise and the Barkclays Center.

This event was possible because of the historic Community Benefits Agreement that was jointly sponsored by the Forest City Ratner Development Corporation, eight non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and community based organizations.

Five years ago, while serving in the New York Assembly and representing the neighborhoods in which the arena and the Barclays Center Complex were to be sited, I felt compelled to explore a new model for community development entitled Community Benefits Agreements.

A Community Benefits Agreement is envisioned as an instrument that would encourage cooperation between major developers and local NGO’s towards an outcome that enhances corporate responsibility and progressive community development.

During a meeting with Bruce Ratner and Bruce Bender of the Forest City Ratner Companies, I proposed that a working group be formed to review the success of the Community Benefits Agreement covenants that had been organized by the owners of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Jobs for Justice Coalition during the development of the Staples Center Arena.

A few weeks later my office issued a memorandum that outlined the following outcomes for our proposed Community Benefits Agreements:

• Minority and Women owned business participation covenants.
• Opportunities for African American and Latino investment participation.
• Opportunities of African American and Latino to co-develop the project.
• Workforce Development covenants.
• Post construction opportunities for minority businesses in the areas of procurement and sports marketing.
• Affordable housing for working families
• Enhanced services for children and youth.
• Evolving out of this vision was the formulation of the first legally binding Community Benefits Agreement within the State of New York.

As a result of the leadership of the eight NGO”s (see CBA post) with the progressive cooperation of Bruce Ratner the Community Benefits Agreement was co-signed on June 27, 2005.

Since the historic Community Benefits Agreements for the Atlantic Yards project was adopted, growing numbers of additional neighborhoods have sought to replicate this initiative.

In addition, the newly elected comptroller for the City of New York, John C. Liu, has announced that he will be forming a task force to review the relevance and challenges associated with Community Benefits Agreements.

The DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy will also be reviewing how Community Benefits Agreements might be incorporated with the New York City Chapter.

I encourage you to review the Community Benefits Agreements document on www.duboisbunche.org and to articulate any ideas or concerns to our center’s public policy email address: dbpolicy@mec.cuny.edu.

Roger L. Green, is the executive director of the DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy at Medgar Evers College. He is also a former member of the New York State Assembly.