It's not a shocker that the not-quite-vibrant LGBT Center (you'd think it would be, it has a nice building, but it's not exactly a well-frequented space) is facing some tough times eight years after opening to great fanfare. The Center, which is a city-subsidized non-profit, plays host to a variety of HIV-awareness, arts, and community meetings, but it hasn't found much income from renting out its spaces to community groups and the like. The city spent $5.7 million on the Center's building (which was also partly funded by a large donation from its namesake, Chuck Holmes, the founder of gay porn pioneers Falcon Studios). But according the Chron they are now seeking a $1M mortgage bailout, which supervisors David Campos and Bevan Dufty both support.

The trouble is, they will likely need more than that, as well as a business model (perhaps including that rooftop restaurant?) that allows them to break even. To wit: "LGBT Center Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe says the nonprofit has furloughed workers, reduced benefits and cut programs, but it hasn't stopped the bleeding." About half of the Center's current budget comes from city contracts.

We don't want to see the place collapse, but having visited there a few times over the last few years, it always feels like a "you built it but they didn't come" sort of situation.