Building opportunities for tomorrow...

History

1942

Housing Authority established by the Merced County Board of Supervisors

1945

Housing Authority first functions in its official capacity

1946-1988

Housing units acquired or built during this time period:

– The first Housing Authority units consisted of 200 trailers in Merced (1946)
–  Seventy (70) apartment units were built in Merced (1947)
–  140 units of public housing were built in Merced (1951)
–  Los Banos site (1955)
–  15 low-income units — Atwater — (1964)
–  Los Banos site (1966)
–  South Dos Palos site (1967)
–  Seasonal migrant farm worker housing began (1967)
–  60 family units, plus an office and community center–Livingston–(1972)
–  225 family units under the Section 23 (later called Section 8) Program (1972-78)
–  Allocations of certificates (448 total) and vouchers (137 total) (1978)

–  Merced County Housing Authority entered into Joint Powers Agreement with Mariposa County to provide 79 certificates and 25 vouchers for Mariposa County (1979)
–  34 family units farm worker housing–Westside, Merced County–(1979)
–  44 family units, Turnkey Project–Merced–(1982)
–  10 low-income units–Los Banos–(1982)
–  22 low-income units–Westside, Merced County–(1983)
–  42 low-income units–Atwater/Winton–(1983)
–  28 elderly units–Merced–(1984)
–  25 elderly units–Dos Palos–(1986)
–  14 elderly units–Atwater–(1988)

1989

Established Central Valley Coalition for Affordable Housing

1990's to Present

Major focus was in the area of Section 8, which increased the available Present certificates and vouchers from 800 to over 2,800. Also during this period, the Housing Authority:

–  Purchased 98 low-income homes through the Acquisition Program. Beginning in 2002, these homes have been sold to low-income families. Sixty-one (61) homes have sold as of January 2006

–  Acquired Planada Village, a 50 unit CHRP-R site (rental project, 1994)

–  Rehabilitated many projects throughout Merced County with Comprehensive Grant Program funds

–  Established the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program (1993)

–  Administered the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program in Merced County, resulting in affordable financing for more than 300 new homeowners (1995-1997)

–  Established Firm Build Program (May 1998)

–  Reconstructed the Atwater Migrant Center (1998)

–  Established Firm Build, Inc., as Non-profit organization (1999)

–  Completed construction of a new Administration building to house its expanded staffing (2000)

–  Founded the Affordable Housing Agency (AHA) to issue essential function bonds to create affordable housing opportunities through purchase, rehabilitation and development (2001)

–  Completed construction of 17,000 sq. ft., multi-use learning center on land owned by the Housing Authority (February 2003), officially named the John O’Banion Learning Center/ribbon cutting ceremony held February 11, 2003.

–  Reconstructed the Merced Migrant Center (2003)

–  Will begin reconstruction of the Los Banos Migrant Center (2003)

–  Purchased Merced Commons I & II, a housing complex consisting of 147 affordable rental units originally financed by the California Housing Finance Agency (2003)

–  75 homes have been sold as of January 2008.