A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is a legally binding contract between a community coalition and a developer that outlines how a proposed development will create positive impacts on surrounding communities and deliver specific benefits that residents and stakeholders have identified as priorities. In exchange, coalition partners agree to support the project as it moves through the public approval process.

CBAs are written contracts, which means the commitments in them can be enforced in court. Benefits typically fall into several categories: affordable housing (including land, funding, and anti-displacement measures), jobs and workforce development, community amenities like childcare and parks, small business support, cultural preservation, and dedicated community funds. They also typically include a community oversight structure to monitor compliance over time.

Importantly, a CBA does not replace the general public engagement processes the city runs. Everyone retains the right to participate in Small Area Plan meetings, Large Development Review processes, and public hearings. A CBA organizes a coalition of community representatives into a unified voice that negotiates binding commitments directly with the developer.

A CBA must be completed before the Denver City Council’s final votes to approve the project. Those votes include a Small Area Plan, a city development agreement, likely an Urban Renewal Plan, and rezoning of the Burnham Yard site. A timeline provided at the city-sponsored Small Area Plan Community Advisory Committee in late April estimated that Council votes will begin before the end of 2026.

The CBA’s dedicated community input and coalition formation phase came to a close in Spring 2026, though members will continue to engage with their community stakeholders throughout the process. The coalition then refines priorities and engages in confidential legal negotiations with the project owners. Negotiations also require sufficient detail from owners about their development plans. The Coalition looks forward to negotiating in good faith to meet Denver City Council’s timeline.

The Burnham Yard Community Action Coalition includes the following organizations:

• Baker Historic Neighborhood Association

• Community Arts Stabilization Trust Colorado

• Denver Housing Authority 

• Denver Indian Health and Family Services Denver Inner City Parish 

• Denver's Art District on Santa Fe

• La Alma Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association

• La Alma Neighborhood Association

• Museo de las Americas

• Native American Housing Circle

• NEWSED CDC

• Santa Fe Business Improvement District

• SEIU Local 105

• Su Teatro

• Sun Valley Community Coalition

• UNITE HERE Local 23

The coalition reflects the breadth of communities surrounding Burnham Yard, including residents, cultural institutions, housing organizations, neighborhood associations, and workers who will build and staff the development.

Because a CBA is a legally binding document that carries liability, only organizations are able to sign the agreement. Organizational membership in the coalition grew out of nearly 80 community conversations and recommendations from residents and community-serving organizations, with a deliberate effort to include a range of perspectives representative of the neighborhoods and interests surrounding the future development. This represents the most robust coalition-building process of any CBA effort in Denver to date.

In addition to representing a balance of constituencies with a direct stake in the future of Burnham Yard, members had to be open to supporting the eventual project if the ultimate CBA meets their standards, have the ability to work collaboratively in support of the full range of interests not just their own, and the resources to engage meaningfully in a long-term and time-consuming process. 

There are many opportunities to share your input and stay engaged,  both through the BYCA coalition and the City's formal process. Sign up for updates from BYCA and the City to stay informed on key decisions and upcoming opportunities. You can also visit the Broncos stadium website for information on the City's process.

If you support the values and goals of the CBA, we encourage you to sign on as a community ally. This helps demonstrate the breadth and strength of the community network behind this effort.

Finally, if you have a specific interest area, consider connecting directly with one of our coalition member organizations. Each brings a unique focus and perspective to this work, and they welcome community members who share their concerns and priorities.

The La Alma Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association (LALPNA) serves as the fiscal sponsor for the coalition and has led fundraising with Denver’s philanthropic community to cover the costs of legal representation, professional consultants, and community engagement activities. The Rose Foundation has also established a community fund that accepts contributions from individuals, businesses or other entities who wish to support the CBA, ensuring independence for community recipients The coalition does not accept funding from the Broncos franchise ownership group in order to maintain full independence in negotiations.

Because a CBA is a legally binding contract, its commitments are enforceable in court by the parties who sign the agreement. The Broncos franchise ownership group will be required to meet specific, measurable obligations, not just express general intentions to achieve support from BYCA. CBAs are also typically recorded documents that "run with the land," meaning the commitments apply even if the property changes ownership over the life of the agreement.

Strong enforcement mechanisms, including clear benchmarks, reporting requirements, and community oversight, will be central priorities in our negotiations. The coalition will retain the right to monitor compliance and take legal action if commitments are not met.

The Small Area Plan is a city-led planning document that establishes a vision for an area’s future. It is created with community input, reviewed by the public, voted on by a Planning Board and must be adopted by Denver City Council to become effective. It establishes land use guidance, design standards, and broad development and related priorities for the Burnham Yard site and a portion of the neighborhoods that surround it. A small area plan is the city's primary tool for shaping what gets built and where.

The CBA is a private contract negotiated directly between the community coalition and the Broncos franchise ownership group. It translates broad community priorities into specific, enforceable commitments tied to this particular project. Unlike the Small Area Plan, the CBA gives the community its own independent legal standing to hold the developer accountable, without relying on the city to enforce those commitments on the community's behalf.

In short, the Small Area Plan sets the broader planning framework, while the CBA secures concrete, enforceable benefits for the community within that framework.

Handout summarizing the differences.