Delivering Community Benefits Through Economic Development

By Benjamin S. Beach

Major economic development projects and infrastructure investment can present both tremendous opportunities and significant threats for communities and residents. Using a community benefits approach, as a local government official you have powerful tools available to ensure that these projects provide the greatest social, economic and environmental benefits while also not harming surrounding neighborhoods.

In short, community benefits are assets available through economic development that meet real community needs. Examples include community access to living wage jobs, affordable housing, health and community services and open space. 

This guide describes what you can do as a local government official to help advance community benefits. The approaches discussed here cover the spectrum from long range planning and policy to actions you can take with regard to individual projects and investments. The guide focuses on the following five core strategies:

• Demand strong community benefits in government agreements with developers;
• Encourage negotiation of private community benefits agreements between developers and community coalitions;
• Enact ordinances and policies establishing baseline community benefits for future projects;
• Incorporate community benefits into land use planning and policy; and
• Convene key stakeholders to reach agreement on community benefits principles for future projects.