A citywide budget deficit is posing a serious threat to the workforce of San Francisco’s street safety program, Urban Alchemy, which gives jobs to those who have served time in prison. 311 workers would be impacted by the organization’s possible decrease, and layoffs might start as early as January 17. According to a letter from company general counsel Sharon Hang to the mayor’s office, Urban Alchemy, which is well-known for its black-and-green-vested ambassadors who patrol the Tenderloin, mid-Market, and SoMa neighborhoods, may lose around half of its ground crew, as reported by The SF Standard.
The possible layoff coincides with the city’s budget deficits; Mayor London Breed has already resolved a $800 million shortage this year, but more cuts are still to come. Even though money was secured through June 2025, Hang has warned of a $7.7 million financial gap if nothing is done, according to The SF Standard. The operational effectiveness of the program has been questioned because the Mid-Market Business Association & Foundation, which is in charge of the Urban Alchemy contract, requires the approval of the budget and finance committee.
The additional funding request from Urban Alchemy, which has asked the Board to authorize $7.7 million in spending to prevent the layoffs, is being delayed by Connie Chan, the budget chair of the Board of Supervisors. Chan has also requested an audit to evaluate the organization’s financial situation and performance results. In a statement, Mayor Breed said, “Killing this funding is a catastrophe for the neighborhood, and it’s awful for the hard-working Urban Alchemy employees,” according to the SF Chronicle. As expenses rise and income decline, the city faces a nearly $1 billion shortfall over the next two years, which casts a shadow over the budget battle.
The fact that the layoffs are scheduled to take place unless the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Supervisor Chan, meets and approves the additional cash by December 4 adds to the urgency. According to Lena Miller, CEO of Urban Alchemy, a cutback in their core services “would jeopardize the lives and livelihoods of over 300 community ambassadors who are primarily people of color who were formerly incarcerated and homeless,” as reported by theSF Chronicle.
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