From Promise to Practice: What Makes Community Benefits Agreements Enforceable?

A new peer-reviewed publication by Dr. Jungwoo Chun, Sanjana Paul, Kahlen Wheaton, Lucy Atkinson, Elise Echarte, and Professor Lawrence Susskind is now available online. Their article, "From Promise to Practice: What Makes Community Benefits Agreements Enforceable?", explores what determines whether Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) successfully deliver on the commitments they make to host communities.

CBAs are increasingly used to ensure that communities hosting renewable energy, real estate, and other major infrastructure projects receive meaningful public benefits. While these agreements have become important tools for advancing equitable and justice-centered development, many questions remain about how to ensure that promised benefits are actually delivered.

To better understand what drives successful implementation, the research team analyzed 72 Community Benefits Agreements from renewable energy, real estate, and other infrastructure projects across the United States. Their findings reveal that the effectiveness of CBAs depends less on the legal agreement itself and more on the processes established to implement and oversee it after it is signed.

The study identifies several key factors that support successful enforcement, including robust monitoring structures, clearly defined responsibilities, ongoing stakeholder engagement, and mechanisms for accountability. It also highlights common barriers such as limited resources, insufficient government support, and capacity constraints among participating organizations that can hinder implementation even when agreements are well designed.

One of the article's main findings is that all parties need continued support after an agreement is signed, especially community organizations that help monitor progress and make sure promised benefits are delivered. The authors argue that long-term success requires continued collaboration rather than viewing the signing of a CBA as the end of the process.

The publication reflects the MIT Renewable Energy Clinic's commitment to developing practical, collaborative approaches that improve how communities and developers work together on major infrastructure projects.

Read the full article here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1nQjP7tZ6aAhx6