Oakland LGBTQ Center Faces Major Setback After Federal Cuts: What’s Next?

Oakland LGBTQ Center Faces Major Setback After Federal Cuts: What’s Next?

The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, a vital resource for the Bay Area’s queer community—especially low-income residents and people of color—is now fighting for survival.

Just months after opening a new East Oakland location focused on wellness and health services for trans and marginalized residents, the center lost over $600,000 in federal funding. The cut stems from Trump-era policies that quietly gutted programs and grants using keywords like “LGBT,” “equity,” or “gender identity.”

This blow resulted in immediate layoffs of 10 staff members, including the center’s chief operating officer. Remaining staff saw their salaries cut, and essential programs—including those targeting substance abuse and homelessness—were scaled back or halted. The financial hit also caused corporate sponsors like Amazon and Comcast to quietly withdraw support, signaling a wider shift in funding priorities.

What’s more, the center’s loss mirrors a troubling national trend. Trump’s proposed 2026 budget aims to slash $2.67 billion in LGBTQ-related funding. Programs at risk include HIV/AIDS initiatives, gender-affirming care access, and equity-focused medical research. The ripple effect is already being felt across California, where state-level budget cuts have eliminated some Gender Health Equity programs.

Despite the crisis, the Oakland LGBTQ Center continues to provide critical services—like hormone therapy, STI testing, mental health support, and youth outreach—through emergency measures, community donations, and reduced-scale operations. Advocates are urging the City of Oakland and Alameda County to step in with stronger local funding, but the path forward remains uncertain.

Other Bay Area LGBTQ groups, like Oaklash, offer a model of resilience. By turning to grassroots support and individual donations, they’ve continued operating independent of corporate dollars or volatile federal programs.

The question now: Can local efforts, small donors, and mutual aid keep the Oakland center afloat in a political climate increasingly hostile to LGBTQ health and human rights?

Read more at:https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/oakland-lgbtq-center-trump-budget-cuts-20367164.php