Kink.com May Leave SF Because Of Tight California Porn Laws
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Pornography purveyor Kink.com has asked San Francisco for permission to convert its Mission District studios to office space because the company feels bound by state restrictions on shooting adult films.
Kink.com has been using the landmark Armory on Mission and 14th streets as studios to produce pornographic films since it bought the building for more than $14 million in 2006.
Several adult film companies have left California for Nevada because of increasingly strict regulations.
California is looking to mandate the use of condoms in all adult films. That regulation would require each sexual act that takes place during film production be logged, along with information about what protective measures were taken to prevent the spread of HIV and other diseases.
Two actors for Kink.com tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS last September, resulting in a $78,000 fine for its parent company, Cybernet Entertainment, which maintains that many of its performers prefer not to use condoms.
That investigation also temporarily shut down adult film production across the country.
The Armory was built in 1912. Any changes to how it is zones will require an extensive review that city officials expect could take at least 18 months.