Direct benefits of the project to the parties involved:

The landowner’s benefits will include:

- Elimination of maintenance costs
- Additional liability insurance coverage
- Elimination of clean-up fines from the local authorities
- Elimination of security costs
- Elimination of maintenance management fees
- Possible reduction of property taxes where applicable (lease of land to non-profit, community tax incentives, etc)
- Favorable standing with local community and local political bodies, such as community associations, neighborhood councils etc.
- Ability to access the site 24/7 to show prospect buyers/financers/building officials etc the site (being respectful of the garden beds of course).
- Ability to give notice to the urban farm with a 6-months termination when project on site is getting ready for construction.

Benefits to the community will include:

- A blighted sight turns into a source of beauty.
- The urban farm will integrate community building amenities, such as a space for community workshops related to food growing, composting, environment and art. Such workshops bring the community together, build friendships and help people build awareness for taking care of the environment.
- The urban farm will invite local school classes in for hands on workshops and garden tours.
- The urban farm is setting aside a designated planting area for a local community benefit, for example for the local homeless shelter or another appropriate neighborhood cause.
- The project will help making the street safe again, as the blighted, unsupervised site has been replaced by an actively occupied farm and art garden. During the day there will be people on the property and at night the property is securely closed, thus eliminating illegal activities and trash dumping on the property.
- Neighbors and community members will be inspired by the positive change in their community and become more hopeful and caring about their neighborhood. Many neighbors may be inspired to start their own edible gardens, thus further contributing to a heightened sense of community. Especially front yard gardening has shown a lot of positive effects on the community, as people exchange produce, gardening tips and stop by for a chat on their neighborhood stroll.
- Real estate values will recover from the dip the blighted site has caused on its neighboring properties.

Benefits to the operator will include:

- No land lease costs.
- Operating an organic farm at the very source of the consumer market. Transportation expenses of food are completely eliminated.
- Easy, frequent and personal interaction with the customers and participants.
- Huge potential for community outreach and education in local community and schools.
- High visibility in urban/neighborhood setting.

Benefits to the environment:

- Elimination of illegal waste dumping which may have caused toxic runoffs polluting the local ground waters and/or lakes and oceans.
- Creation of a small, inner-city oasis, creating oxygen and removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
- Lessening of local heat island effect thanks to active, healthy vegetation.
- Natural habitat for beneficial insects, birds and microorganisms to regenerate.
- More people eating locally grown food means less pollution related to industrial food production and transportation, thus lowering the carbon footprint of the consumers.
- More people learning about gardening, composting and environmental care in a hands-on, tangible way will elicit more people to live a more environmentally conscious life.
- The environmental benefits of one small community garden might seem negligible, but if they are dotting neighborhoods across the cities, they can amount to a significant positive impact on the overall environmental health of a city and the planet as a whole.

Expenses and preparatory work:

Initial expenses and necessary preparatory work for the project include:

- Fencing in the site
- Setting up an irrigation system
- Power (can be minimal, but necessary for power tools and possibly some evening lighting).
- Grading and demolition work where necessary. (Whitley Gardens is already graded and doesn’t need demolition work. This cost could potentially be prohibitive for short term projects, so it is important to choose sites that are easily converted into reasonable growing surfaces.)
- Mulch and compost for the creation of healthy soil
- Organic seeds, plants and seedlings
- Access driveway for material drop-off
- Tool storage shed & tools
- Composting bins
- Lumber and fasteners is raised planting beds are built
- Chicken coop, pond, food stand (if allowed in your community) or any other desired features
- Community workshop area – a shading structure with seating below. (Seating could be made out of tree trunks, straw bales or any other inexpensive material.)
- Art installation

Running expenses:

- Water
- Power (should be minimal)
- Staff operating the farm and the community workshops. (Can be partially run by volunteers, but in most cases at least one full-time staff will be necessary).
- Trash & recycling pickup (should be minimal)
- Porter potty (unless composting toilets are legal in your community)
- Art events and other events (could be subsidized by donations)
- Liability insurance cost

Closing costs:

- Moving soil and movable plants to new location
- Moving composting bins, chicken coops and any other built items to new location.