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Committee approves $2M cap for summer youth employment contract as YOU reports strong demand
Summary
Committee amended and approved Ordinance 31‑2026 limiting contracts with Youth Opportunities Unlimited to $2 million; YOU reported 4,080 Cleveland applications and said the additional $500,000 would expand placements by roughly 157 youth (204 with overenrollment), increasing Cleveland slots to about 751.
The committee approved an amended emergency ordinance (No. 31‑2026) authorizing contracts to implement the City of Cleveland’s Summer 2026 Youth and Young Adult Employment Program, setting a not‑to‑exceed amount of $2 million for the contract with Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU).
Councilwoman Santana moved the amendment to cap the contract at up to $2 million; the motion was seconded and the committee approved the amendment. YOU representatives said the program had received 4,080 unduplicated applications from Cleveland residents so far and that the original contracted placement pool was 412 slots; typical overenrollment practices and private funding increase that figure. With the additional $500,000 approved by committee, YOU said the city allocation would add roughly 157 placements (204 when accounting for historic overenrollment) — bringing total Cleveland placements to an estimated 751 for the summer.
YOU told the committee their countywide application total is 7,036 and that the broader program relies on nearly $2 million in private funding and a county contribution of approximately $5.2 million. Committee members urged continued private fundraising and careful job‑site selection to ensure the positions provide career‑focused, skill‑building experiences rather than only short‑term tasks.
Committee members also requested information about how job types will be distributed — YOU described a mix of career‑themed placements (construction, manufacturing, public service, marketing, urban farming, arts and film). The ordinance, as amended, was approved by the committee and will be included on the full council agenda.
