groups Staff of 24room 4 stateshome_work 310 Homes
Sister Timothy Marie O’Roark, a Sister of Mercy of Omaha, served as a legal aid attorney in Omaha, Nebraska, working with families facing eviction from their homes. She witnessed the horrible conditions in which they lived, and saw that many had little to no help accessing affordable housing.
She vowed, “We can do better.”
The Sisters of Mercy of Omaha make an initial $500,000 investment, and on Christmas Eve, Mercy Housing is incorporated as a Nebraska nonprofit. Sister Mary Terese Tracy is drafted to serve as CEO.
As the first Founding Community, they are tasked with providing guidance in service of our core values of respect, justice, and mercy.
With the purchase of five communities in Idaho, Mercy Housing is a multi-state provider. The first resident moves in to Mercy Terrace in San Francisco.
Mercy Housing Management Group is created to provide property management services for Mercy Housing’s affordable housing communities. Mercy Community Capital (MCC) is created to administer reliable, flexible funding to socially responsible community developers in support of Mercy Housing’s mission.
The Mercy Housing home office moves to Colorado. Denver is selected because the airport has direct flights to all of the cities with regional operations.
Sister Lillian Murphy takes over as President & CEO after Sister Mary Terese Tracy retires.
Sisters of Mercy, Burlingame and Sisters of Mercy, Auburn join as Founding Communities.
groups Staff of 269room 11 stateshome_work 2,036 Homes
Mercy Housing closes its first Low Income Housing Tax Credit transaction – Mercy Family Plaza in San Francisco.
Mercy Housing acquires Intercommunity Housing, which was started by five communities of Catholic Sisters in Seattle. The new regional division becomes Mercy Housing Northwest.
The acquisition of the Catholic Charities of San Francisco Housing Department is completed, and Mercy Housing California is born.
A partnership with St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix brings Mercy Housing to Arizona.
Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace and Sisters of Mercy, Cedar Rapids join as Founding Communities.
Mercy Housing Southeast is established, expanding our reach to both coasts.
Diginity Health donates land to Mercy Housing to develop in Oxnard, California.
Daughters of Charity — Province of the West and Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange join as Founding Communities.
Daughters of Charity — West Central, Sisters of Bon Secours, and Sisters of Mercy South Central Community join as Founding Communities.
Recognizing the link between housing and health, we form Strategic Healthcare Partnerships with seven Catholic Health Systems.
Daughters of Charity — East Central join as a Founding Community.
groups Staff of 1.400room 15 Stateshome_work 16,000 Homes
Mercy Housing acquires Rural California Housing Corporation, focused on self-help homeownership programs in California. This also brings an additional 381 apartment homes to our portfolio.
Mercy Community Capital is certified by the US Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).
Sisters of Mercy, Northeast Community and Sisters of Mercy, Chicago join as a Founding Communities.
Mercy Housing aquires the Cobble Knoll portfolio, which has 926 apartments in Washington State.
Lakefront Supportive Housing in Chicago joins Mercy Housing to create Mercy Housing Lakefront.
In the wake of the national foreclosure crisis, Mercy Housing creates Mercy Portfolio Services, designed to stabilize neighborhoods and preserve affordable, low-income housing in especially hard hit areas of Chicago over a five-year period.
groups Staff of 1,500room 18 Stateshome_work 23,700 Homes
The first development funded by the Housing Partnership Equity Trust closes in Illinois.
Sister Lillian retires from Mercy Housing. Jane Graf is appointed as President & CEO. For the first time in 33 years, there is not a Catholic sister at the helm of the organization.
Mercy Portfolio Services program is successfully completed. Mercy Housing recognizes the greatest impact can be made by focusing on affordable rental apartments.
Franciscan Ministries, Inc. gifts Mercy Housing with 32 new properties, making Mercy Housing the largest nonprofit affordable housing provider in the U.S.
Paul Allen, the cofounder of Microsoft, donates $30 million to help build more permanent affordable housing. It is the single largest gift to date.
In a landmark year, Mercy Housing opened six new communities and MCC invested $42 million to create over 2,000 affordable homes, setting a new, all-time organizational record.
Jane Graf announces her retirement after 33 years with the organization. A new five year strategic plan is announced with a focus on resident empowerment and racial equity.
groups Staff of 1,750room 22 Stateshome_work 27,000 Homes
Unprecedented COVID-19 shutdowns force operations to pivot overnight. Increased food and technology relief help residents who are impacted by the pandemic.
New President & CEO Ismael Guerrero begins his tenure during this critical time.
We open five new communities, providing 340 new homes, and plan 16 more communities for future residents.
COVID continues to disrupt daily life, and staff continues to adapt to the changing landscape.
Despite the challenges, we open eight new communities, adding more than 809 homes to combat the affordable housing shortage. Millions of dollars in rental assistance are engaged to keep residents in their homes.
Mercy Housing looks toward the next 40 years of providing affordable housing.
New President & CEO Ismael Guerrero begins his tenure during this critical time.
COVID continues to disrupt daily life, and staff continues to adapt to the changing landscape.