The SCAP HC mentions in its Character Creation section, under the rogue entry, that a rogue might consider taking over the Alleybasher guild, as it doesn't have strong leadership at the moment.
I realize that the majority of details on the Alleybashers, and their counterparts the Last Laugh, are intentionally barebones so that individual DMs can play with them as they please.
But my problem is figuring out at what point the PCs could conceivably "assimilate" the Alleybashers. During the Lucky Monkey adventure arc, the Alleybashers are definitely on the opposing side. However, short of sitting down and doing a word-by-word read of the HC (I tried a quick skim with no luck) I can't seem to find a definitive point where the Alleybasher's effectively stop being active antagonists, which would be the obvious point for PCs to start considering taking it over for their own purposes.
Any input is appreciated!
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The Alleybashers are essentially driven to extinction during chapter 3. I would go with the idea that there is still a core of "honorable thieves" left in cauldron after flood season who had, officially at least, been kicked out of the guild for failing to go along with their "last stand": the theft of the wands and hijacking of the city. That would give you the opportunity to still kill lots of Alleybasher badguys, but allow the PC to keep a guild (though a largely impotent one).
My two cents. Hope it works for you.
I wouldn't completely write off the Alleybashers after Chapter 3, personally. While it's true that most of the rank-and-file members of the guild have been slain or captured in Chapter 3, remember that there are no members of the Alleybasher leadership present - surely the guild is led by someone more capable than a 2nd level Rogue!
Instead, I'm choosing to interpret the events at the Lucky Monkey and the Kopru Ruins as merely breaking the back of the guild - it lives on, but is no longer able to effectively resist the Last Laugh as it makes inroads into its territory. Still, enough Alleybashers remain alongside the leadership that a direct confrontation would draw too much attention and cost too many lives to be worthwhile for the Last Laugh.
This changes in Chapter 5, when Last Laugh Jester Velior Thazo purchases a scroll of Gate and brings in a pair of Huge Fire Elementals to attack Minuta's Board, both to further incriminate the Chisel in a plot to overthrow the city, and to raze the guildhouse of the Alleybashers. It's a relatively safe at this point to assume that the Alleybasher leadership has either been slain or driven off in the attack. Any members of the guild that remain will be looking for a chance to get back at the Last Laugh, and a Rogue PC with the proper connections could step into that role either at this point, or shortly after the group returns to Cauldron in Chapter 7. If you're concerned about your party's ability to survive the Assassin Attack in Chapter 7, having command of the Alleybashers could give your Rogue PC a bit of advance warning that someone had put a price on the party's head.
Eric "Critic of the Dawn"