Downtown Streets Team

What Downtown Streets Team does

Downtown Streets Team (DST) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 20-5242330), founded in 2005 in Palo Alto by Eileen Richardson, a former venture capitalist and former CEO of Napster. Its mission is to help homeless and low-income men and women rebuild their lives through a volunteer work-experience model that combines structured street beautification activities with intensive case management, employment services, basic-needs stipends (gift cards), and a peer-led community anchored by weekly success meetings. The organization grew from four unhoused Team Members and a budget under $40,000 to approximately 16 communities across Northern and Central California (including Palo Alto, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Marin, Santa Cruz, Modesto, Redwood City, and others), serving more than 400 unhoused Californians at any given time with a staff of nearly 100 and a historical annual operating budget of approximately $14 million.

DST operates two principal programs: Streets Team Volunteers (STVP), the flagship volunteer work-experience program, and Streets Team Enterprises (STE), an employment social enterprise providing paid transitional employment through contracts with Caltrans (Back2Work highway litter removal), Community Benefit Districts, SolTrans (facility maintenance), and Santa Clara County RISE (building maintenance). Supporting offerings include individualized case management, employment services (resume building, interview prep, workplace soft skills), the Petaluma mobile showers program, and the Downtown Food Closet. The organization has helped over 4,000 individuals transition into employment or housing since inception.

DST's business model is grant and donation-funded rather than commercially priced; services are provided free of charge to participants. Revenue streams include government grants and contracts (CalCRG $1.8M in 2023, WIOA $2M in 2023, City of Modesto $2.1M over three years), corporate and individual donations (Molina Healthcare $10K in 2023, Google and Twitter funding for DST-San Francisco), and fees from Community Benefit Districts for beautification services. The organization has announced that it will close all operations effective October 31, 2025, after 20 years of service.

Name

Downtown Streets Team

Legal name

Downtown Streets Team

Website

https://streetsteam.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Downtown Streets Team is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2005 in Palo Alto, that runs volunteer work-experience and paid transitional employment programs for unhoused and low-income adults across 16 Northern and Central California communities. The organization is scheduled to cease operations on October 31, 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and social services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Case management
• Workforce development
• Transitional employment
• Social services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, DST relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization mentions specific corporate donors like Molina Healthcare ($10,000 donation in 2023).
2. Government Grants and Contracts: DST receives significant funding through government grants including California Community Reinvestment Grant Program ($1.8M in 2023), WIOA Governor's discretionary funds ($2M in 2023), and municipal contracts such as the $2.1M three-year contract with City of Modesto.
3. Fees from Community Benefit Districts: Streets Team Enterprises generates revenue through fees paid by Community Benefit Districts, which are funded through neighborhood property assessments. This supports the paid employment crew operations.
4. Caltrans Back2Work Program Revenue: Streets Team Enterprises crews provide litter removal services on California highways through the Back2Work initiative, funded by Caltrans and administered by Butte County Office of Education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Downtown Streets Team provides unhoused and low-income adults with volunteer work-experience opportunities cleaning streets, parks, and public spaces, combined with case management, employment services, basic-needs stipends, and pathways to housing. Its employment social enterprise, Streets Team Enterprises, provides paid transitional jobs with wraparound support in partnership with Caltrans, Community Benefit Districts, and transit agencies. Services are delivered free of charge to participants across 16 communities in Northern and Central California.

Product overview

Downtown Streets Team operates two interconnected programs: Streets Team Volunteers, its flagship volunteer work-experience program that provides unhoused individuals with structured beautification activities while offering case management and employment support, and Streets Team Enterprises, its employment social enterprise that offers paid transitional jobs with wraparound services. Supporting these core programs are Case Management Services, Employment Services, Weekly Success Meetings, and Mobile Showers. The organization serves 16 communities across Northern and Central California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Streets Team Enterprises (STE): The employment social enterprise division of Downtown Streets Team that provides paid transitional employment, job training, and wraparound services to unhoused adults, formerly incarcerated individuals, and others in housing or rehabilitation programs.
• Streets Team Volunteers (STVP)

Products and services

• Streets Team Volunteers The flagship volunteer work-experience program inviting unhoused individuals to volunteer on Teams dedicated to cleaning streets, parks, and public spaces while charting a path out of homelessness. Provides structured daily activity that fosters community, builds confidence, reaffirms dignity, and develops employment soft skills (punctuality, cooperation, responsibility). Participants receive case management, basic-needs stipends via gift cards, and access to housing and employment services.
• Streets Team Enterprises An employment social enterprise that provides paid transitional employment, job training, and wraparound case management for people impacted by homelessness, systemic trauma, and incarceration. Operates crews performing litter abatement, building maintenance, and transit facility upkeep under contract with Caltrans, SolTrans, Santa Clara County RISE, Community Benefit Districts, and other partners. Offers a stepping stone to full-time employment with supportive services.
• Case Management Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 individuals helped achieve employment or housing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Good Karma Bikes of San JoseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2023Bicycle donation program that provided San Jose Team Member Evelyn with a new set of wheels after her bike was stolen.
• VOICES Youth CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2022Partnered with DST to conduct surveys of over 600 people experiencing homelessness for WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) needs assessment report.
• CaltranscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStreets Team Enterprises partners with Caltrans for the Back2Work initiative, providing litter removal services on California highways in Solano, Napa, Santa Clara, Alameda, and San Mateo counties. All workers are individuals who have formerly or are currently experiencing homelessness.
• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since Modesto launch in 2019 supporting workforce development and homeless services.
• Stanislaus CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty partnership since 2019 supporting Modesto operations and homeless services.
• Workforce Development of Stanislaus CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting employment services and workforce training for Team Members.
• SolTranscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic transportation provider of Solano County, partnering with STE for Facility Technicians who keep transit stops clean, functional, and clear of graffiti, while performing unhoused outreach in project areas.
• Butte County Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers the Back2Work initiative funding from Caltrans for homeless employment programs.
• REDF (Roberts Enterprise Development Fund)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting employment social enterprise development.
• Alta HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing provider that worked with DST to house Team Member Mark in a downtown Palo Alto studio apartment. Provided preference status for DST Team Members.
• Santa Clara County RISEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for START Building Maintenance program providing building maintenance services to Public Supportive Housing providers.
• JobTrainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partner for STE employees providing building maintenance services.
• City of Palo AltocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore city partner since DST's founding in 2005. Supports Downtown Food Closet program and community services.
• Peninsula Healthcare ConnectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing services to DST Team Members in Palo Alto.
• LifeMoves Opportunity CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing services at the Opportunity Services Center in Palo Alto.
• Office of the Public Defender - Kurt Kumli Resource CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing legal resources and support for Palo Alto Team Members.
• Second Harvest of Silicon ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood bank partnership supporting Palo Alto Food Closet and food security programs.
• Peninsula Food RunnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood rescue organization supporting food security programs for Palo Alto Team Members.
• All Saints Episcopal ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for annual Estelle Chalfin Community Thanksgiving Meal, serving 500+ meals to community members.
• Street Life MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting Redwood City community programs.
• Trek Bicycle SacramentominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManager RJ Lugo donated seven bikes to launch Sacramento's bicycle-mounted outreach fleet, enabling Case Managers to reach unhoused individuals in out-of-the-way places.
• Swords to PlowsharescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeteran's services organization that coordinated with DST and VA to help place Marin Team Member Carl in permanent housing.
• San Francisco Estuary PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on the 'Needs Assessment with People Experiencing Homelessness' report as part of the Disadvantaged Communities and Tribes-led Needs Assessment Report.
• San Francisco VA HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital that treated Oakland Team Member D'Andre for serious heart condition, enabling subsequent housing placement.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/downtownstreetsteam
• Instagraminstagram.com/dstpaloalto
• Xx.com/downtownstreets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1481352

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Downtown Streets Team