As a member of the Winning Goal Coalition, the Near SE/SW Community Benefits Coordinating Council (CBCC) has led the effort to successfully gain a seat at the negotiating table with the city and DC United for inclusion of a community benefits agreement (CBA) for residents of ANC6D within recently proposed legislation – Bill 20-805, sent from the Mayor’s Office to City Council – to build a new soccer stadium in Buzzard Point.
In separate meetings, the CBCC and Winning Goal Coalition members met in late June with both the city and DC United to discuss the need for a CBA, and to share initial broad concepts to address the needs of the ANC6D community in Southwest and around Buzzard Point. Both parties were amicable to the CBCC’s campaign for inclusion of a CBA, articulated this during their testimony at the June 26th City Council Joint Committee hearing on the bill – at which several Winning Goal Coalition members, including the CBCC, testified – and stated that there are plans to meet again with the CBCC to obtain more specific details for the CBA so that a formal meeting may be held over the summer with all pertinent parties and city agencies at the table.
The CBCC has begun drafting the items for a Southwest Soccer Stadium CBA with specific carve-outs to specify benefits for the residents of Buzzard Point and Southwest across the areas of: employment, affordable housing, education, and community enrichment. On July 17th, the CBCC held a Southwest Soccer Stadium CBA campaign support meeting to further educate ANC6D community leaders and resident councils about CBAs, to explain the process with the city, to share and obtain input for the CBA provisions, and to garner additional support. The CBCC incorporated the input it received from campaign supporters and has shared this initial draft list of items with the City Administrator’s Assistant and DC United. A meeting for more formal negotiations to begin is currently being planned with the city, DC United, and the CBCC.
The next CBCC Soccer Stadium CBA community meeting will take place in late August. The date and location will be posted on the CBCC website, www.seswcbcc.org. Please be a part of this wonderful effort to bring real community benefits to Southwest and Buzzard Point!
By: Felicia Couts
CBCC Coordinator