I will be PCSing to Fort Bliss, TX.

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 15:02:56 -0400

I will be PCSing to Fort Bliss, TX in the next three months. Any advice for the best places to live would be greatly appreciated. My understanding is that El Paso, TX housing area can very a lot from neighborhood to neighborhood.

On post housing is not an option for me. I'm Single SFC.

Mainly looking for apartments not too long of a drive from post. As a PSG my days can be pretty long as is. I don't want to spend a lot of time on road once I'm off duty.

Thanks in advance.

SFC Hernandez

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2015 3:05 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 15:05:36 -0400

East side, building a bunch of new houses, it's a little drive to post but has everything you could want. It's a little more pricey but at the same time better neighborhoods. KB realty is horrible but they do most of the rentals. They are negotiable though.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2015 3:45 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 15:45:11 -0400

I stayed at Dos Santos Apartments on Montana Avenue and the apartments were reasonably priced and the management was great. There are also close to post

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 28 at 2015 3:58 PM

SGT Dave Tracy — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 15:58:15 -0400

I would concur that the east side is a nice area to live. Northeast EP and parts of Central are a bit sketchy if you aren't in post housing, and the quality of housing is not great. Basically if where you're looking at living is within a mile of Dyer Street you may wish to reconsider. That said, I lived in Upper Beaumont housing, I didn't mind going out into the surrounding neighborhoods (NE & Central).

Aside from some internet research, you can contact your new unit and see what informational resources they have regarding local housing.

Good luck, and even though El Paso/Ft. Bliss get a bad rap, I suspect you'll find both the city and the post are a good place to be with lots to do in a supporting environment. I loved my 3 years there; wasn't thrilled about my dysfunctional unit, but Bliss and El Paso were great!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2015 5:39 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 17:39:57 -0400

I know when I was stationed there single E-7s could room mate up and live in 801 housing off of Martin Luther King Blvd. But if you want a apartment I would look on the east side of Transmountain or Montana Ave might have some apartments that would keep you close to Bliss and the Airport. Also Montana runs straight to down town. Close to get to I10 as well. Good luck and if you want to know more hit me up brother.

Response by SGT Jonathon Caldwell made Oct 28 at 2015 6:55 PM

SGT Jonathon Caldwell — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 18:55:50 -0400

About only option of not driving more than 20 minutes or sitting in traffic for hours to and from work are east side and northeast. East is a little more expensive but as in another post deffinatly not as sketchy as some NE places. If you can find something close to the 375 loop on the east side youll be golden. Good luck. Loved the post, has some really nice ammenities compared to others. City not bad especially if your single theres more to do. Bliss does get a bad wrap for nothing though.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2015 7:55 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 19:55:58 -0400

Stay away from the west side I made that mistake and I'm currently regretting it I would recommend Van Horne Estates It's affordable and it's very nice...not far from post but not close either..it's definitely on my list of places to check out once I get out of my lease here

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2015 9:18 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 21:18:30 -0400

Off Montana, a place called Las Palmas at the intersection of Montana and Saul Kleinfeld. Rent is a little higher, but you get a nice house, and it's 7.5 miles from my doorstep to work that takes about 15 minutes in morning PT traffic. Can't beat it with a stick!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2015 1:59 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 01:59:08 -0400

The post is very big, it doesn't look that big on the map. My company is on the other side of TX 375, and it takes me 25 minutes to get to main post.

Looking at your MOS, you will likely be using the Global Reach gate. The area directly south of that, around Montana is not the nicest area, but there are some okay new apartment complexes. If you were to use Global Reach from Montana, the speed limit is 55 mph, even though it is a short road. Your other options are to take the Liberty Express to the Global Reach gate, from either the east or west. If you are looking at the area directly to the west of post, Beaumont is a little shabby, most people on that side live north of there.

The nicest new neighborhood that I've seen is down around the Eastview area, but I don't know what apartments down there. You would be taking TX 375 to Liberty Express and then to the Global Reach gate. Most of the other areas are so-so, if the apartment complex looks nice, the area will be somewhat okay. There are a few super cheap apartments in some less than ideal areas, if there are cheap apartments close to a complex you are looking at, you might want to stay away from that area. I don't think the traffic on the roads that lead into post is consistently bad like at some posts. and wait time at the gates is probably average, max time is maybe 10 minutes in the morning.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2015 3:52 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 03:52:30 -0400

When I was stationed @ Ft Bliss in the same unit you are going to, I lived in the NE area and it only took me 10-15 minutes at the most to get back and forth from work including at lunch time. If you decide to go that route, just stay on the right side of Hondo pass.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2015 9:47 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 09:47:10 -0400

You have many options. The west side of El Paso is generally more expensive than other areas. It is also the farthest from post. Northeast is less expensive and has quick access to post via Hwy 54, but the crime rate in that part of the city has been growing. When I was here for USASMA in 2008 we lived in a new neighborhood in the northeast and enjoyed it. I currently live on the east-side....east of 375 where it meets Montana Avenue. There are several apartment complexes in this area. I would suggest contacting a realtor or going to trulia.com so you can search by neighborhood.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2015 12:07 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 12:07:44 -0400

Patriot apartments in the NE are really good. Most people that live there are mlitary.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2015 1:14 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 13:14:51 -0400

It depends. what you like and are willing to spend. El Paso is like super safe, and low low crime. it nothing like ppl claim it is. it also pretty nice. there are some new places in Pebble hill area.

good luck and welcome to Bliss

Response by SPC Benjamin Izaguirre made Oct 30 at 2015 2:35 PM

SPC Benjamin Izaguirre — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 14:35:18 -0400

U can find alot of nice places on the east side of El Paso

Response by SPC Benjamin Izaguirre made Oct 30 at 2015 2:43 PM

SPC Benjamin Izaguirre — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 14:43:19 -0400

There's a website called apartment.com that u can enter what ur looking for and it will show u all the apartments in El paso and how much the rent is.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2015 4:34 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 04:34:40 -0500

I used to live off post on Viscount Blvd on the 7900 block. Not too far away from base, and better than on base housing. 1000x better than the Bks. Just saying. Another piece of advice is this... If your driving down the road anywhere in El Paso,....be on the look out for several things! 1. "MexicanTrains" - 1 car/truck pulling 6 or more vehicles behind it,no other drivers...swaying all over the road... Very dangerous and illegal, but they don't care.

2.MexicanTruck Ambush! Where they intentionally ram your vehicle to'fix it' in Mexico ( Juerez),where you as a soldier are not allowed to be in the first place and secondly, you will never get your car back ever!

3. The Halloween bus. Every year a bus full of grown adult Mexicans come to El Paso to go trick or treating - NOT! They are there to flash rob you! Six or more Mexican men and women with guns,knives, and bats will ring your doorbell and you get the trick as they steal all your treats!

Other than the high Mexican crime rate and Cinco de' Mayo on the 4th of July... El Paso and Ft. Bliss is not bad.

Response by SSG Kristell Lee made Nov 2 at 2015 6:39 AM

SSG Kristell Lee — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 06:39:22 -0500

I lived by 375 and Montana on what they call Far East. Loved it. Quiet, close, safe. I even bought a house out there. They have some nice and cheap apartments on that side of town, by Zaragoza and stuff. Good luck SFC.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2015 3:30 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 15:30:53 -0500

East side is quiet and fairly close to post, 15-20 minutes. Houses and apartments there are more expensive than northeast and central, but not by too much. Central El Paso has a bunch of older cheap houses but you have to fight with traffic on I10 to get to and from work and that sucks. Northeast is close and fairly cheap but there is more crime in that area, although some of the newer neighborhoods there are coming up from what I hear. West is expensive and going over the mountain every day can be a hassle.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2015 8:34 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 20:34:41 -0500

The east side would be you best bet

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2015 8:36 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 20:36:55 -0500

Are you looking for a house or apartment to rent? The bungalows are nice

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2015 12:23 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:23:05 -0500

Thanks to everyone for you advice. I was able to find a good apartment. Ill give everyone an update once I actually move in and see how things are.

Again thanks for everyone's help and happy new year

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2016 12:25 PM

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 12:25:39 -0500

What bde you in

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Dec 12 at 2020 11:41 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 11:41:35 -0500

My condolences on being assigned to Texas. Don't wear the colors red or blue in the wrong neighborhoods. Try to avoid NCO's who are running meth labs or prostitution rings.