Lessons from Atlanta and Baltimore About Linking Economic and Community Development.

This commentary examines the challenges and opportunities local policymakers face in coordinating economic and community development (Ec&CD) through case studies of revitalization efforts in Atlanta, Georgia, and Baltimore, Maryland. Both cities, designated as Round 1 Empowerment Zones (EZs) by the federal government, created specialized governance structures and employed creative financing tools such as resource braiding, tax incentives, and community benefit agreements (CBAs) to link economic development (EcD) with community development (CD). While Atlanta benefits from a strong regional economy and has seen mixed success in implementing coordinated initiatives—including foundation-led projects like East Lake and large-scale developments such as the Atlanta BeltLine—Baltimore, a weaker market city, has faced greater difficulties but similarly uses CBAs in major projects like East Baltimore Development Incorporated and Port Covington. The authors conclude that effective Ec&CD coordination requires sustained collaboration among diverse stakeholders, skilled local leadership, inclusive community participation, and ongoing oversight to ensure that promised community benefits are delivered.