San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus facing rent increase

The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus has lost its lease at 400 Castro Street and is now looking at a sizable rent increase, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Their space was formerly subleased from Bank of America for the amount of $1 per year. Lurie Co., from which the bank was leasing, did not renew that lease, however, forcing the chorus to move to new headquarters at 18th Street and Hartford. The chorus is now facing every urban renter’s quandary: how to come up with the first month's rent, last month's, and the deposit. As the monthly rent is $4,400, this represents rather a large sum. Robert Pelzman, representing Lurie Co., suggested that the chorus submit a letter requesting relocation funds but, upon receiving the request, told the chorus they would be getting nothing from Lurie Co. and that they should contact the Bank of America. Scott Mandell, chorus executive director, said, “We knew the lease was coming to an end, but it was always a possibility that Bank of America could renew the lease, and we’d get to stay.” As that did not prove to be the case, Mandell now hopes that “Lurie will do the right thing.”