On September 5, 2012, the Portland City Council unanimously approved the passage of Resolution No. 36954, enacting a model Community Benefits Agreement (“CBA”) for use on City-owned construction projects. In doing so, the City recognized the CBA’s promise as a powerful tool to overcome the historical underrepresentation of minorities and women in the construction industry, both at the worker and contractor levels.

A central reason for the success of the CBA has been the commitment of all the stakeholders involved. The City of Portland and its Water Bureau enacted the CBA and oversaw implementation on the Kelly Butte and Interstate projects. Likewise, Hoffman Construction adopted and refined the CBA for these projects, and embraced proactive implementation to achieve CBA goals. Community, labor and employer partners also participated in CBA implementation, ensuring all partners were at the table to achieve its goals, address problems in real time, and develop best practices and resources.

To learn more about the CBA visit: About CBA