The Airport City Newark Coalition (ACNC) is a Newark-based community organization of advocates, government bodies, and universities. The organization’s goal is to “take full advantage of the potential Newark Liberty International Airport offers” to the nearby communities. By engaging the community early, the ACNC can achieve this purpose.

Since 2018, the ACNC has partnered with graduate students from Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania, resulting in 13 graduate studios. These studios are semester-long collaborations where students develop, research, and produce planning material for a real-world client. The studios have worked towards ACNC’s priorities, from shaping the Newark Airport Train Station redevelopment to planning for future transit-oriented development, and now laying the foundation for a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). Each studio, in their own way, has helped to advance the ACNC’s vision for community-centered growth.

The Fall 2025 Studio prepared frameworks for community engagement and Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs). A CBA is a legally binding contract between the local community, municipality, and developer to secure specific community benefits in exchange for community support of a project. CBAs have been used for a few decades in major redevelopment efforts; The Staples Center redevelopment in Los Angeles and the Port Authority’s deal with local communities around JFK International Airport are both examples of successful CBAs.

Now, it is time to strategize how Dayton and the Airport City Newark Coalition can utilize CBAs in negotiations with future developers. By doing so, the ACNC can ensure that new projects deliver meaningful and equitable benefits to local residents.