Community Benefits Agreement | Mill Street Neighbor

Drake Redevelopment
Community Benefits Agreement

What is happening at the Drake Power Plant?

1925 - The original Martin Drake Power Plant opened at the current location.

1976 - The current plant, which is being demolished as of 2023, opened on the same site.

September 1, 2022 - Martin Drake, a coal-fired power plant, ceased burning coal.

Learn about the health risks associated with living near coal-fired power plants.

February 6, 2022 - The Drake Taskforce released a report on future redevelopment of the Drake site.

June 2023 - Demolition and Abatement of the Drake Power Plant begins. Demolition presentation.

Summer 2023 - Demolition and Abatement of the Drake Power Plant scheduled to end. Demolition Fact Sheet.

Fall 2024 - Site Grading and Reseeding scheduled to begin.

End of 2024 - Project Completion.

Colorado Springs Utilities Drake website.

What is a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)?

A Community Benefit Agreement, or CBA, is a legally binding agreement between a developer and neighborhood-led coalition in which the developer agrees to fulfill the wishes of the neighborhood in exchange for the coalition’s support of their project.

Neighborhood coalitions around the country have won things like affordable housing requirements, a certain percentage of new jobs designated for neighborhood residents, investment in neighborhood amenities like a community center or grocery store, and much more. Here are some examples:

Hill District CBA in Pittsburgh

$1M each from developers and City for a full service grocery store in the district
Model first source hiring center
Local resident hiring priority
Minority business outreach and training
$6M for local social services
Additional City and County support for YMCA
Penguins (team/ownership) will not interfere with workers' right to form a union
Community representation on Master Plan steering committee

Union Square CBA in Somerville, MA

Affordable housing - 140 out of 1,000
Union preference for construction
Skills training for local workers
Card-check neutrality for hotel
Hiring preference for local residents, women, and minority workers
Minimum wage + $2.25/ hr for non-construction workforce
Collaboration with Somerville HS Center for Career and Technical Education

Why do we want a CBA?

There is a lot of new development going on in and around Mill St, and there will only be more in the future now that the Martin Drake Power Plant has been decommissioned. The only way to prevent displacement of Mill St neighbors and ensure that we benefit through new development is to win a legally binding Community Benefit Agreement. Neighborhood coalitions around the country have won things like affordable housing requirements, investment in neighborhood amenities like a community center or grocery store, and much more through CBAs.

Read: Historic Downtown neighborhood fights to protect its character against creeping gentrification

How do we get a CBA?

First, we needed to determine the top priorities of neighborhood residents so we’re all on the same page about what to push for, which we did through numerous neighborhood surveys. From those surveys, our top priorities are affordable housing, homelessness, community space, and traffic/parking. Check out the survey results below:

Now, we’re building a powerful coalition that can force developers to negotiate with us, using public leverage points in the development process like zoning changes, public lands deals, or urban renewal designation to bring them to the table. This will only be possible if we stand together as neighbors and allies throughout the city to ensure the community we know and love can survive and thrive for decades to come.

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