The city has surpassed its goal to hire more youth for summer employment opportunities. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 budget allocated $50 million to fund 29,000 jobs for young people through the city’s One Summer Chicago employment initiative. As of Tuesday, city data shows there are 30,124 youth hired this summer; that’s just over 1,000 more youth employed than originally budgeted for.
Johnson shared the news in a one-on-one interview with The TRiiBE ahead of his weekly media availability at City Hall on Tuesday.
“I’ve made a strong, firm commitment to invest in our young people, youth employment in particular, because it’s a part of our larger strategy to not only bring violence down in the city of Chicago, but to make sure that our investments are matching towards things that actually work,” Johnson told The TRiiBE.
Johnson credits the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) surplus for the extra funds to support the additional youth jobs. During the 2025 budget cycle last year, the city declared a TIF surplus of $570.8 million.
The city’s corporate fund is the largest of the six funds. It is used for city operations and services like the Chicago police and fire departments. A TIF is a tool used by municipalities and other government entities to generate economic development in designated areas. If there’s excess money in a TIF district after funds have been allocated, then it’s considered to be a surplus, according to the Civic Federation.
In this instance, Johnson said he released dollars from the TIF surplus, allowing city agencies to deliver additional services, which led to an increase in employment opportunities for young people seeking work.
“Because of the unprecedented TIF surplus that we declared that went back into the taxing bodies, there were more resources to be able to make these critical investments,” Johnson explained. “I’m grateful. Not only did we surpass the allotted amount, but we’re also demonstrating that this is actually working in terms of the positive trend in the reduction of violence in our city.”
The Chicago Park District experienced the largest increase in youth hiring, according to the Mayor’s Office. The city projected to hire 2,850 youth for the park district; to date, they’ve made 3,414 hires this summer.
Chicago has seen historic drops in violent crime for the first half of 2025. According to the Chicago Police Department, in the first half of 2025, both homicides and shootings have dropped just over 30% compared to 2024. Homicides haven’t been this low since 2014.
“If you invest in people and create more opportunities for people to find their purpose, then they’re less likely to engage in unhealthy and unsafe behavior. Johnson said the crime and violence that the city experiences isn’t solely gang violence. Other forms of violence, including domestic violence, are also taking place.
“As long as we are ensuring that young people are engaged in healthy interactions, as well as are in a position to be able to find their purpose, that directs them and steers them towards a path of productivity,” Johnson said.
The Johnson administration is taking a holistic and multipronged approach to address and reduce crime, which includes youth employment and intervention models. The One Summer Chicago initiative is designed for young people between the ages of 14 and 24. The latter is an age demographic that’s often overlooked, Johnson said.
“So we’re cutting right into the very demographic that has been left behind,” Johnson said, referring to young Black men. “I see our young people. I value our young people, and that’s why I’m willing to invest in their present as well as their future.”
