By providing legal support for organizing efforts, the CBLC helps community organizations, local officials and other stakeholders advocate for and obtain a wide range of community-serving outcomes.

Campaigns and initiatives on which the Center has worked have won:

• a range of community benefits (such as jobs, housing, community services, and environmental mitigations) in connection with major development projects
• laws, policies and agreements (including Community Workforce Agreements) ensuring both job quality and equitable access to job opportunities in the construction, energy efficiency, logistics, manufacturing, waste/recycling and retail sectors.
• laws and policies expanding community control of land, land use and development approval processes.
• laws, policies and agreements resulting in the inclusion of deeply affordable housing in new development and other measures that ensure equity and prevent community displacement in connection with new development.

 The CBLC can help organizations and policymakers sort through the many possible approaches to achieve their goals. 

Our core services:

• direct representation in negotiation and development, drafting and implementation of agreements, policies and laws
• strategic consultation on legal aspects of campaigns
• making available model policies, ordinances, and agreements from around the country, addressing a wide range of community benefits issues and strategies

The CBLC provides these services across the country, as permitted by applicable state bar rules. We work with local lawyers and with organizers, policymakers 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!