Scaffolding Community Benefits Agreements: A Look at Equity in Public Works Programs

Abstract

This paper discusses the history of Detroit from a socioeconomic perspective, setting the stage for Detroit’s urban renewal and the politics surrounding the Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) passed in 2016. The framework for the CBO does not apply to the Solar Neighborhood Initiative project, a collaborative effort between DTE Energy and the City of Detroit, but it provides an understanding of the current governmental attitudes towards sustainable development principles. A criteria for an edit of the community benefits ordinance is suggested, and the community benefits agreement for the Solar Neighborhoods Initiative is discussed, with recommendations made for more equity in future projects.