A Community Benefit Agreement for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Abstract

The BNMC is the region’s largest economic development project. Clustering health institutions together on one campus creates many collaborations and efficiencies and increases the potential for spin-off job creation. Inevitably, however, any large scale development also includes some negative side effects for the community, particularly those who live nearest to it. Traffic and air pollution increase. Parking becomes a problem on nearby residential streets. As streets are removed and large buildings rise up, a residential neighborhood can start to feel cut off and overshadowed. A hot real estate market fuels speculation and leads to higher rents and property taxes, which means increased costs and, often, displacement for long-time residents. A CBA offers tools to remove or reduce some of these burdens.