Economic Redevelopment And The Community Benefits Program: A Case Study Of The L.A. Live Project, A Los Angeles Sports And Entertainment District

Research on communities measuring opposition to development has found that immigrants with lower income and educational levels, and racial minorities, tend to offer less resistance. Unions are losing membership nationwide, have a history of excluding racial minorities, and union leaders have long believed that immigrants could not be organized. Three key factors contributed to the Community Benefits Program. First, a fundamental change in union strategy involving the increased recruitment of immigrants and unionization of service occupations. Second, the rise of strong networks and organizations among immigrants, labor unions, and community organizations. Third, many of the major elements of the L.A. Live Community Benefits Program - such as local hiring, union jobs, and living wages - had already been implemented in other development projects.