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City to launch Community Benefits Ordinance education series; no immediate ordinance rewrites
Summary
Planning staff said the department will prioritize CBO implementation, orientation for neighborhood advisory committees and an education series in FY26 rather than proposing immediate legislative changes. Staff recommended clearer NAC orientation and ethics briefings.
The Planning and Development Department told the City Council it is preparing an education series for the Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) rather than pursuing major legislative changes in the short term.
Deputy Director Dara O'Byrne and CBO program lead Edwina King told council members the department’s FY26 work will emphasize implementation, training and outreach for neighborhood advisory committees (NACs), including negotiation support and ethics orientation.
“We're not necessarily coming with legislative updates, but we also look at, you know, we take suggestions from everyone,” Edwina King said, describing the department’s approach to orientation and ongoing support for NAC members. King emphasized transparency about the tier 1/tier 2 distinction and added that staff have met NACs outside regular meeting hours to provide support.
Council members asked how the CBO interacts with tax abatements and other incentives and requested clearer education on how subsidies and underwriting are structured in different districts. Planning staff said an education series will attempt to “peel back the curtain” on incentives, what the process looks like and how communities can influence outcomes through NAC participation.
Why it matters: the CBO governs negotiated community benefits for major developments in Detroit. Council members and staff agreed education and stronger NAC orientation could improve community participation and make negotiations more effective.
Ending
The department committed to producing the CBO education series in FY26 and to exploring a requirement that NAC members receive ethics orientations and sign an affidavit documenting their obligations.
