El Paso does not have designated gay neighborhoods. Instead a large number of the LGBT community in El Paso live right downtown. The hub of the neighborhood is the GLBT Community Center that is located in downtown El Paso very near many of the city’s main gay bars and businesses. The center is funded by LAMBDA and also takes care of HIV-affected individuals living in and visiting the El Paso metropolitan area. The center is also quite responsive and active with regards to issues that arise because of the multi-ethnicity of the area. If you are looking to live in a community with a strong impetus towards caring for each other’s best interests with a strong neighborhood feel then you will appreciate living in downtown El Paso.
The smaller but strong gay community in downtown El Paso also organizes the annual Southwest Pride Parade, the International Candlelight AIDS Vigil, the International AIDS Empowerment, Inc. and a Youth Outreach Program.
The downtown area of El Paso boasts many gay bars and restaurants including an alternative night club in Pride Square called Alive, Tanya’s Gridiron which has a gay military crow and the Tool Box which is a home away from home for bears and Latino cowboys. There are many transsexuals and cross-dressers in the city who frequent such clubs as the Whatever Lounge and M’s lips.
If you are looking for a place to stay while shopping for real estate in El Paso there is the grand old European-style Camino Real Hotel and the more modern Wingate Hotel.
The good news about El Paso is that housing is quite affordable. The average price per square foot for a home in El Paso is $52 per square foot (first qtr. 2013). The average listing price for a home across the city was $193,420 for the week ending June 5, 2013. As of June 5 there were also 696 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction or a bank-owned stage of foreclosure, which means that there are, steals to be had in the neighborhood. However it is key to make sure that the property in the neighborhood you are investing in is LGBT friendly.
It is important to note that there is not an extensive gay resident population outside of the downtown and if you plan to live outside of the downtown you will need a car to get around. Downtown El Paso is the only real place in town where you will find a real caf© society and community full of regulars who go to the bars and LGBT meetings. However there are some really nice Spanish style mansions and Ranch style houses in other neighborhoods in the city. It is a good idea to consult with a resident gay realtor who lives in El Paso to find the ideal place for you to invest in property. You can also get additional information about the attractions, layout and economics of the city by visiting the www.elpaso.org.
