Politics
River North Secures Additional Funding for Five Community Centers
The draft allocation in the 2026 city budget would direct additional resources to five River North community centers that provide job training and family counseling.
How we reported this
The River North City Council placed a community services funding measure on the November ballot that would raise the local services levy by 0.3 percentage points. The measure targets residents who use the five neighborhood centers for employment assistance and youth programs. Passage would increase the annual budget line for those centers from 4.2 million dollars to 5.1 million dollars beginning in fiscal year 2027.
Why the Measure Appears on the Ballot Now
Local election filings closed last month and eight candidates for the three open council seats have listed community services as a priority in their statements. The measure responds to a 2025 city audit that showed wait times at the centers averaging 11 weeks for job placement services. Council documents state the increase would add staff positions at the centers located in the Near North, Goose Island, and Streeterville districts.
Residents who rely on the centers for after-school care would see expanded hours if the measure passes. The draft budget lists specific line items for additional caseworkers at the Near North Center and new computer lab equipment at the Goose Island facility. Families in Streeterville could apply for the expanded rental assistance program that the legislation ties directly to the new revenue.
Numbers in the Draft Budget and Projected Local Reach
The legislation states that 60 percent of the new funds must support employment services and 40 percent must support family counseling. City budget papers project the change would serve an additional 1,200 River North households each year based on current utilization rates. The same papers list no new administrative costs above the existing 8 percent overhead cap already applied to center operations.
Voter information packets mailed last week contain the exact text of the levy increase and the required annual reporting requirements. The packets also include the addresses of the five centers and current hours of operation. Residents can review the full draft at the city clerk office on Chicago Avenue before early voting begins in October.
The council will hold a final public hearing on the measure on July 22. If approved by voters, the first quarterly distribution of funds would occur in January 2027 under the terms written in the ordinance.