The El Rio bar is a dynamic gathering place in San Francisco’s Mission District that has been an important part of San Francisco’s LGBTQ and Latinx communities for more than four decades. When the opportunity arose to purchase the properties at 3156-3158 Mission, HAF made a bridge loan to Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) to purchase the building which included eight apartments with low- to moderate-income tenants, as well as the beloved El Rio. While ensuring the current tenants were able to remain in their homes was the top priority, helping a legacy business and longstanding neighborhood fixture such as El Rio to stay in their location was clearly worth celebrating. After the building’s rehabilitation, which includes interior apartment renovations, updating electrical systems, and a seismic retrofit, are complete, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development will provide permanent financing to MEDA for the building in late 2020. Read more about SF’s legendary icon El Rio.
