How CBLC Can Help
By providing legal support for organizing and political efforts, CBLC can help communities press for a wide range of concrete benefits. Each community will decide for itself what benefits are most needed as part of local economic development activities. These benefits commonly include:
- living wages
- local hiring
- job training
- labor peace
- affordable housing
- environmental benefits and mitigations
- parks and recreational facilities
- reservation of space for local businesses
These and other community benefits can be delivered through various legal tools, including community benefits agreements, local ordinances or policies, project approval conditions, and other mechanisms. CBLC can help advocates sort through the many possibilities in order to develop legal approaches that fit with local campaigns.
To advance these goals, CBLC provides the following services:
- direct representation in negotiation and implementation of community benefits agreements
- drafting of ordinances and policy proposals
- strategic consultation on legal aspects of community benefits campaigns
- making available to advocates and their attorneys a library of policies, ordinances, and agreements from around the country, addressing a wide range of community benefits issues and strategies
- operation of the Community Benefits Legal Network, which allows community benefits lawyers to share best practices and requests for information through a listserv and directory
CBLC provides these services around the country, where permitted by various state bar rules. We can work with local lawyers or directly with organizers and other advocates. While many consultations are provided at no cost, extended engagements are generally on a fee‑for‑service basis, at nonprofit rates. Please contact us if we can help!