Community seeks a CBA to cover Cincinnati's school construction project

In Cincinnati, local groups (including unions and the Baptist Ministers' Conference) are pushing for a living wage requirement, higher minority hiring goals, and local hiring requirements for the city's $1 billion school district wide construction project. See here. Although about half of the construction has been finished, community members would still like to see these issues addressed in future procurements, possibly in the form of a CBA.

Supporters of the restrictions claim that it will result in higher quality construction and benefits to the local community, but critics claim that it will cost an extra $15 to $20 million--enough by itself to build a new school. The school board will vote on the issue in August.

Pittsburgh's North Side United gives a bus tour, presses for CBA

North Side United and other Pittsburgh community groups held a bus tour of the North Side on Thursday, pointing out the needs of the community and the possibilities of a CBA for the development of the land between Heinz Field and PNC Park. The developer, Continental Real Estate, has to this point refused to negotiate any sort of CBA, and its master plan for the site was approved about two weeks ago without any presssure from the city to negotiate with the community.

A CBA for Syracuse

A recently finalized CBA in Syracuse sets up a job shadowing program for high school junior and seniors. The agreement was reached between the Syracuse Alliance for a New Economy (SANE) and the Syracuse school board, and it covers the Syracuse Schools Reconstruction Project.

Pittsburgh Planning Commission approves North Shore plan, no CBA

The Pittsburgh City Planning Commission yesterday approved an update to the North Shore Master Plan, without pressuring the developer the negotiate a CBA. The vote relied on advice from the city's legal department, which determined that "[w]hile [CBAs] could provide benefits to the community, they are simply not a part of what the Planning Commission may consider when reviewing master-development plans and project-development plans."

Northside United, which believes that the developer is not responsive to the community's needs, plans to appeal the decision to the City Council. It has also scheduled a bus tour of the area, to show the impacts of development on the community and rouse media attention.

More on the Columbia expansion

On Wednesday, Columbia received final approval for its general project plan from the New York State Public Authorities Control Board.

On Thursday, however, oral arguments were heard in a case challenging Columbia's use of eminent domain for the project. Two of the judges seemed skeptical about whether the taking would be a valid one, bringing up issues relating to the propriety of the blight study, the constitutionality of New York's eminent domain laws, and whether a private university should be considered a public purpose. A decision is expected this summer, but appeals could hold up the project for some time.

Columbia expansion CBA: signed and now available

The Columbia Spectator got a hold of a copy of the Columbia expansion CBA. Check it out here.

Emeryville, Ca., residents call for more community-oriented development

Residents in Emeryville, California, have formed the RULE Coalition (Residents United for a Livable Emeryville) to seek a CBA for the Bay Street Site B development proposal. (RULE is working with EBASE, which has a track record on CBAs). Planned for the site are a 23-story condo building and high end retail space. It's also getting a $47 million subsidy.

A recent survey of about 400 residents conducted by RULE and EBASE shows that residents aren't happy with the proposed development. They would like better jobs, more affordable housing and community space, better accessibility for bikes and pedestrians, more youth services, and protections for small businesses.

The survey also found disapproval of the city's priorities, with a sizable portion of respondents saying that the city did not respond to community needs. Most people also opposed or had mixed feelings about the Bay Street B project. The reasons that they cited included the project's unnecessary public subsidies, the likelihood of increased traffic, the unaffordable level of the project's housing, a general overabundance of hotels and expensive retail, and parking issues.

As EBASE explains, "Bay Street Site B presents a significant opportunity for the City to create more win-win solutions for the community, the City, and the developer, and set a precedent for future developments to come."

SugarHouse plans get scaled back, leaving a "box in a parking lot"

Some Philadelphians are unhappy with SugarHouse's newest "interim" design plans, which no longer include a hotel tower, marina, condos, or riverwalk. Now it's just a casino, a garage, and a parking lot. (Some Philadelphians may like the new plans better though, since the casino itself is scaled-back too.) The Philadelphia Inquirer's architecture critic has more here.

Some of the design scale-backs may conflict with the draft CBA (although it was never clear just how astroturf the agreement was to begin with). The CBA, for example, requires SugarHouse to provide public access to the waterfront. Without a board walk, it's unclear how it will satisfy this provision.

Buffalo organization advocates for a CBA

The Buffalo-based Partnership for the Public Good is calling for a CBA to be negotiated for the Erie Canal Harbor development, which is currently undergoing environmental review. The Partnership recently released a report on the project, and it's calling for green design, provisions for local businesses, living wage jobs, and public access to the waterfront.

Some links

The news out of Seattle is that the Dearborn Street project has been canceled due to the economy. This means that the CBA won't go through either, but Puget Sound Sage affirms that "the CBA represents a groundbreaking model for making development accountable to community stakeholders."

On the east coast, there's also been a lot of talk about the new Yankee Stadium, including questions about the jobs being created, the replacement parks that are supposed to built, the economic prospects for all the new high-priced seats, and the odd "home run wind." Check out the Good Jobs First Clawback Blog for more.

Pseudo-CBA (or proto-CBA?) enforced by New York appellate court

Donald Trump's 1993 CBA-like contract relating to the New York City Riverside South project was the subject of a 2008 New York Appellate Division opinion. The court held that the contract's terms were expired. See more at Law of the Land.

Minneapolis wifi CBA being implemented; city giving away free internet accounts

Minneapolis has announced that it's looking for 100 nonprofits to give free internet access to. "The Wireless Community accounts are intended to give free wireless services to agencies that provide public computer access, technology literacy training, and/or technology support for underserved communities." About $15,000 in free service vouchers will be distributed along with the 100 accounts.

Community benefits for the maybe-Chicago Olympics

Chicago is one of the cities vying for the 2016 Olympics (see Chicago2016), and community organizers have been using the leverage of a May 2 visit from the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to get the city to agree to some community benefits--or else have to explain "demonstrations in the streets" to the IOC. (Community organizers aren't the only ones using the high profile visit to try to get the city to notice them; members of the police union are also thinking about picketing to draw attention their contract problems.)

On January 13, an ordinance was proposed that would craft a "Legacy Plan" for possible Olympics facilities. The ordinance was supported by Toni Preckwinkle, among a number of other aldermen, and would require:

• that 30% of the housing at the Olympic Village to be affordable;
• that displaced residents, including tenants and owners, receive adequate compensation and that the city help to relocate homeless shelters and "make sure that no actions are taken whose purpose is to remove, displace or hide homeless people";
• that 50% of the value of contracts associated with the 2016 bid be awarded to minority/women owned businesses and that the city "utilize a competitive and transparent procurement process";
• that the city "will have subsidy accountability in the event of public funding for the
  Olympics", meaning that publicly accessible quarterly reports will assess the amount of federal, state, county and city subsidies going into the project;
• that "[a]ny project or business receiving public financial assistance or constructed on public land shall implement hiring criteria that gives preference to and has specific goals for hiring locally for construction and permanent (retail, service, etc.) jobs that extend beyond the Olympics. If public subsidies enhance the Oiympic bid or are utilized throughout the Olympics preparation and operation, the City of Chicago will convene a community oversight committee to monitor progress towards meeting community economic goals."
• that the city will develop a job training program to prepare "discouraged, unemployed, underemployed, and hard-to-employ workers" for olympics jobs;
• that the city will enter into a PLA (project labor agreement) with relevant unions and require as part of the agreement that apprentices will perform 10% of total construction hours;
• that any business renting space in the Olympic Village must pay a living wage and provide health coverage in order to be eligible for city tax incentives, loans and grants; and
  
• that the city will use the opportunity presented by the Olympics to make significant transit improvements and to promote dense, mixed use development near transit.

(See here for more background on the drafting of the CBA.)

The city council's finance committee is scheduled to hold a meeting on the ordinance on March 27, but the news today is that a tentative deal has already been reached. More on this soon.

(Update)

The Chicago 2016 planning committee signed an MOU outlining its commitment to an economic and community framework today. According to the Chicago 2016 press release, "[t]he signed memorandum focuses on establishing programs designed to increase participation and diversity within the industries of contracting and procurement, construction, workforce development, affordable housing and community enhancements. In particular, the agreement centers on fostering benefits within neighborhoods and communities in and around venue sites, as well as with minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans."

Some of the provisions included in the MOU, as described in the press release:

- a diversity program with a goal to meet or exceed participation levels attained by previous U.S. cities that hosted the Games. It provides a minimum floor of targeted procurement and hiring objectives – 25 percent for businesses owned by minorities and persons with disabilities, and 5 percent for women-owned firms.

- a procurement scorecard giving preference to vendors who are or who partner with firms owned by minorities, women and people with disabilities; businesses located within the region; and those who hire employees from such groups and within neighborhoods situated near venue sites.

- while the city currently requires a minimum of 20 percent affordable housing units within the Olympic Village site, a target of 30 percent will be the objective, with the understanding that development of any units above 20 percent pending pro rata incremental subsidies from outside public and/or private funds.

- promotion of a “living wage” and sustainable jobs through the creation of workforce development and training programs, including skills assessment, the development and publication of apprenticeship opportunities and the provision of access to industry-specific training programs.

- a goal that minority/ low or moderate income apprentices who have matriculated from the Chicago Public Schools or the City Colleges of Chicago account for 10 percent of the construction hours on 2016 Games projects .

- promotion of accessibility in local and small businesses.

- the restoration or enhancement of Olympic and Paralympic venue sites situated in and around park and open spaces after the Games.

The Chicago 2016 MOU is supported by the Chicago Urban League, and representatives of Communities for an Equitable Olympics said that as of now, the group has no plans to protest next week during the IOC's visit.

In the Bronx, the IDA granted subsidies for the Kingsbridge Armory without a CBA

Despite New York City Comptroller and IDA member Bill Thompson supporting a CBA for the Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment and calling for the IDA to hold off on subsidy approvals until one was in place, yesterday the IDA approved tax exempt financing for the $323 million project. The Bronx News Network Live Blog estimates the benefits for the developer, the Related Companies, at about $17.8 million.

Thompson, backed by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, moved to postpone the IDA vote until more information was available about the number of jobs to be created and their likely salaries. He also criticized the IDA and New York City Economic Development Corporation for not supplying him with procurement documents, and he questioned the propriety of the IDA subsidizing this project at all, since it's not an industrial project and it's not located in an empire zone or an empowerment zone. Regarding the uncertainty as to what kind of jobs the project is going to create (and for whom they will be created), Thompson remarked that "a Community Benefits Agreement should be negotiated to resolve these issues before a vote and to ensure adequate community involvement in the process." See Thompson's press release here.

(Update Mar. 13) More commentary from the Bronx News Network is available here.

NYC Comptroller supports a CBA for the Kingsbridge Armory

At a news conference on Thursday, New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. joined the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) in urging Related Companies to negotiate a CBA. "Related has benefited well from its relationship with the City. It is time that it give back to the residents of the Bronx. A Community Benefits Agreement will ensure that the development of Kingsbridge Armory will be good for both the people and the economy of the Bronx.”