AIDS Healthcare Foundation Pushes to Shut Down Housing Development

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation oversees a global philanthropic empire that extends from its Hollywood headquarters to 15 states and 38 countries.

The 30-year-old nonprofit organization treats hundreds of thousands of patients. It hands out tens of millions of condoms annually, and it puts up provocative billboards urging people to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

But in recent months, it has become known for the kind of activism usually associated with homeowner groups, spurring criticism that it has strayed too far from its mission.

In April, the foundation sued to stop construction of two residential towers next to its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Sunset Media Center. A few months later, the group filed a lawsuit challenging plans for a 15-story office building down the street.