Urban Alchemy's mission to help needy on San Francisco's streets faces funding crunch
On Mission Street between 8th and 9th, the Urban Alchemy LOVE Team's daily mission goes beyond cleaning streets—it's about saving lives and fostering hope.
For deputy director Sherman, affectionately called Sherm, the work is deeply personal.
"Everybody needs help, and everybody needs love," Sherm told CBS News Bay Area.
After spending more than 30 years behind bars, he found redemption in his efforts to aid others. One of his proudest moments came when he reversed an overdose on the streets, a moment that cemented his transformation.
"I felt good helping people," he recalled. "I talked about it all day and all week. I once took life—now I save lives. That was a good moment for me."
Urban Alchemy's LOVE (Lifting Our Voices for Equity) Team launched in 2023. It began as an all-female initiative focused on supporting unhoused women and survivors of domestic violence. Over its first year, it evolved into co-ed teams trained in compassionate outreach, connecting individuals in need with essential care and resources without relying on law enforcement.
Numbers shared exclusively with CBS News Bay Area show that from May and September 2024, the team safely disposed of 1,701 needles, prevented six overdose deaths, and filled over 1,000 trash bags to keep public spaces clean. Despite visible successes in their pocket of the city, Urban Alchemy faces mounting challenges.
Over the weekend, Urban Alchemy was targeted in two separate acts of vandalism. Photos and videos shared with CBS News Bay Area showed racist graffiti defacing the Tenderloin location on Friday. Overnight into Monday, a swastika was spray painted on the group's Market Street headquarters. Both incidents are under investigation by the San Francisco Police Department.
Compounding the issue is the uncertainty surrounding Urban Alchemy's funding. The group was approved to receive $7 million to fund services for the Mid-Market nonprofit, but the funds remain held up in the city's budget committee. This delay prompted the organization to issue WARN Act notices to more than 300 employees who could face layoffs.
Steve Gibson, executive director of the Mid-Market Business Association and Foundation, told CBS News Bay Area the process is "typically routine" to amend the contract and release money already approved in the budget.
"It's a little hard to understand why Supervisor Connie Chan has decided to block this issue from getting to her budget subcommittee," Gibson said.
Supervisor Chan, who chairs the budget committee, has not responded to multiple requests for comment. The committee is scheduled to address the issue in a hearing on December 4.
"We have not given up hope," added Gibson. "We're also realists, and the games that are being played are real, and if they continue, this will be the results the layoff."
Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie emphasized his commitment to fiscal responsibility and maintaining essential services, saying, "I'm building a team rooted in accountability, service, and change to tackle the city's historic challenges. I'll make these difficult decisions next year when I assume office, but I'm committed to maintaining critical services in spite of this difficult budget climate. I plan to do that by demanding accountability and measurable results whenever we spend public money."
Mayor London Breed, a staunch supporter of Urban Alchemy, urged the immediate release of funds.
"The people who work for Urban Alchemy are the exact kind of people we are trying to help in this city—offering jobs to those seeking a second chance in life," Breed said. "They've done incredible work, and they are on the streets every day changing the conditions of the Tenderloin. Killing this funding is a catastrophe for the neighborhood and it's awful for the hard-working Urban Alchemy employees. This must be fixed now."
For Urban Alchemy practitioners like Sherm and LOVE Team Director Natiya "Tay" Johnson, the work goes beyond their professional duties. Johnson, who experienced homelessness herself, says her personal history allows her to connect with those she helps.
"I understand because I was there," she said. "I know how it feels to think nobody cares. But now, working for the community, I see myself in the people I help."
Sherm described his approach to the role, saying, "Every day I listen to people, I see what their actual needs are. And when I show them I care, I learn something too—just for that moment."
On their street, love isn't just a word. It's an action and a commitment. And, for Sherm and Tay, a second chance.
