The Good Mid-Market Neighbor:
Urban Alchemy
In the years leading up to the pandemic, business owners and residents of the Mid-Market area became increasingly concerned with the decline in neighborhood safety and cleanliness.
In February of 2019, the Mid-Market Business Association created “MMBA 2.0” — a revitalized effort to create sustainable safety and support systems for the neighborhood. The first meeting had one item on the agenda: “Who are we and where are we going?”
The founding board members convened virtually throughout the pandemic and made plans to expand the Mid-Market De-Escalation Program. MMBA initially received $1,446,092 in annual commitments from 7 property & business owners, but unfortunately, the coming of the pandemic in early 2020 ended the program after only 3 months.
As COVID-19 takes its toll on communities across the globe, Mid-Market does not go unscathed, but stakeholders remain optimistic.
An integral component of MMBA’s optimism is the life-changing work of Urban Alchemy.
Since 2018, Urban Alchemy has set out to bring a sense of peace and respect to “America’s most chaotic urban areas”—communities struggling at the intersection of extreme poverty, addiction, mental illness, and hopelessness.
The organization, which has a physical space on 6th and Mission, is built on the active involvement and immersion of community ambassadors (referred to as ‘Practitioners’) that possess an intimate understanding of the plight of their neighbors.
“We hire individuals, to be our Practitioners, with lived experience, including long-term incarceration and homelessness, that provide them with a unique insight and ability to engage with people from every walk of life,”
— Lena Miller, Executive Director at Urban Alchemy
The Urban Alchemy approach has been successful at establishing a safer and more welcoming environment in the Mid-Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods.
In April 2021’s data report Urban Alchemy practitioners reported:
70% Positive Engagements
26.4% Inviting Space Interventions
3.3% De-escalation Interventions
“We are a visible presence; greeting people, and saying hello, and trying to raise the vibration in a particular space,” says Mike Anderer, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Urban Alchemy.
“In a nutshell, Urban Alchemy is a good neighbor.”
The good neighbor effect is palpable, and in 2020, inspired the creation of a comprehensive strategy based on four main pillars of:
Safety
Cleanliness
Activation
Communication
The resulting Community Based Safety Program was introduced as an initiative of the Mid-Market/Tenderloin Joint Operations Taskforce, an unprecedented combined effort between the Mid-Market Business Association (MMBA), Mid-Market CBD, Tenderloin CBD, and Civic Center CBD.
“We understand how impactful it can be when we all join together to build a better tomorrow. We are fueled with passion and believe that giving back is the key to changing lives and communities.”
— Urban Alchemy
For Urban Alchemy practitioner, Greg Brinkley, compassion, love, and respect are the skillsets he taps into most frequently when engaging with neighbors. Many in the neighborhood know him by name and respond positively to his brand of empathy.
Once in a while Greg comes out of pocket to buy a neighbor something to eat, getting to know a little bit more about them. When someone is repeatedly approaching folks in line at Supreme, for example, they’re likely not Mid-Market regulars and have gravitated in from elsewhere. The walk and meal are an opportunity for him to understand individual circumstances, and connect in a way that is meaningful for them both.
“All of us, in our life, experience pain. That pain gets expressed in multiple ways.”
— Mike Anderer
Stakeholders in the program’s success applaud the City’s “courage and creativity to invest in new approaches that put the community first, and prioritizing job creation for those most impacted by social and economic injustices.”
Greg says with a tearful smile:
“We’re not the police, we’re not security. We’re just safety and service.”
A glimpse at a day in the life of an Urban Alchemy practitioner:
“Showed a young man how and where to apply for UA. He was thankful; told me he wants to get his life on the right track and UA seems like the best place.”
— Practitioner
“Today, once again, another person lives to see another day. [Practitioner] observed a woman trip and fall. He ran out into the intersection and helped the woman to her feet and walked her over to safety on the curb. He then asked the woman did she need medical attention which she did. [Practitioner] called 911. Seven minutes later paramedics arrived on the scene, examined the woman, and took her to the Hospital.”
— Practitioner