An LGBT advocacy group kicked off a multi-million dollar fundraising drive Tuesday to finance the construction of a new building in Hollywood to cater to community members in need of affordable housing.
Plans for Los Angeles LGBT Center's 125,000-square-foot facility include 100 units of affordable housing for LGBT youth and seniors; 100 beds for homeless young people; a senior center and medical clinic space.
The nonprofit is looking to raise $25 million to fund the project, which will be adjacent to its existing Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Hollywood. Center officials said they plan for it to be completed by 2018.
Services offered in the new buildings will be integrated with existing services offered at its other sites, which include job and life skills classes for young people and social groups for the elderly.
"The life-saving services on this site will join with the life-enriching services next door," said Lorri Jean, chief executive of the center, during a press conference to announce the planned expansion and fundraising drive.
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Jean said at a Tuesday press conference the group is full to capacity with the services it currently provides at its other locations.
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"Demand for the center's services is at an all-time high," she said.
Jean pointed to the 6,000 homeless young people in the Los Angeles, 40 percent of whom identify as a member of the LGBT community, and the growing senior population.
"The city is home to an estimated 65,000 LGBT people over the age of 65. Few of them have children or grandchildren to support them, and many of them face isolation and live at or below poverty level," read a statement announcing the fundraising efforts.
