Our History
Photo: Rosa Mercado, first homeowner served through the OORP (formerly Serve Our Seniors)
Commitment to Justice
The vision for Merced Housing Texas was inspired in the late 1980s, born out of a challenge from San Antonio civic leader Maria Berriozábal.
Knowing that the Catholic women religious of San Antonio had built and run hospitals, schools and universities for generations, Berriozábal began talking with Sister Dorothy Ettling, CCVI, and Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, about how their congregations’ considerable influence and legacy of service could be greater used for San Antonio’s most underserved residents.
This led to deep conversations between teams of women religious and city leaders, identifying affordable housing as San Antonio’s most pressing need. This collaborative spirit and commitment to justice laid the groundwork for Merced’s establishment in 1995 by nine congregations of Catholic women driven by a collective mission to address housing justice for the city.
Sustaining Congregations
Six congregations—the Founders or Sustaining Congregations—made long-term commitments to provide personnel for board service, volunteer service or employment whenever possible. Five other congregations later joined as associates.
Under the leadership of its founding President, Susan R. Sheeran, and current President and Executive Director, Kristin L. Davila, Merced Housing Texas has flourished, owning or developing 14 multifamily communities, launching the Owner-Occupied Repair Program, and expanding the Resident Services Program. This journey reflects Merced’s unwavering dedication to its mission, inspired by its founders’ vision and sustained by a commitment to creating a future where every San Antonio resident has access to safe, accessible, supportive, affordable housing.
Merced History Timeline
Founders identify Affordable Housing as San Antonio’s most pressing need
Merced is founded under the auspices of Mercy Housing, Denver, CO
Susan R. Sheeran named President
Casitas de Merced in Somerset opens to residents, serving older adults
Resident Services begin with first property developed
Merced collaborates to enable development of Viceroy Apartments
in conjunction with San Antonio Urban Ministries and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Merced separates from Mercy Housing and incorporate as Merced Housing Texas
Merced begins Single Family Acquisition and Rehabilitation Program
Merced acquires Bellshire in Conroe
Merced purchases Suncrest Hills Apartments in San Antonio
Merced begins Serve Our Seniors (SOS) Emergency Repair Program
Merced completes construction of Stablewood Farms Apartment Homes
Merced purchases Eleanor Delta Apartments in San Antonio (renamed Eleanor Place in 2007)
Kristin L. Davila began at Merced as Resident Services Coordinator of Avion Place
Merced houses 70 families of Katrina survivors at Avion Place with extensive Resident Services
Merced completes construction of Riversquare in Corpus Christi
Merced completes construction of Artisan at Willow Springs
Merced completes construction of Fenner Square in Goliad
Merced repairs homes through City of San Antonio Emergency Repair Pilot Program
Merced completes construction of Navigation Pointe in Corpus Christi
Merced completes Espada Sewer Connect Program in collaboration with SAWS
to connect sewer service to city sewer system for homes
SOS Program becomes Owner-Occupied Repair Program (OORP)
Merced completes construction of Tierra Pointe in Karnes City
Merced completes construction of Four Seasons at Clear Creek in Fort Worth
Merced completes construction of Casitas de Villa Corona
Merced begins development of Oscar Eason Senior Apartments in San Antonio
Merced closes Single Family Acquisition and Rehabilitation Program. Twenty-one homes acquired, rehabbed and sold
Merced begins renovation of Bellshire Apartments
Merced acquires Kings Court Apartments in San Antonio
Susan R. Sheeran retires as President of Merced.
Kristin L. Davila succeeds her as President and Executive Director
Merced moves into newly-purchased office on West Mistletoe
Merced expands supportive services to OORP homeowners
Vice President and Program Manager Jesse Flores, Jr., is honored by the San Antonio Business Journal
as an Outstanding Nonprofit Employee
Merced realigned our Resident Services Program to respond to the impact of COVID-19
on residents with a focus on securing rental and utility assistance
Resident Services Program Manager, Marta Garcia, is named an Outstanding Nonprofit Employee
by the San Antonio Business Journal
Members of Merced’s Board of Directors and staff took over as the Board of Directors
for Corpus Christi Central Homes, Inc., which owns Coastal Haven Senior Living apartments
President and Executive Director Kristin L. Davila was named to the San Antonio
Business Journal’s 40 under 40
Merced acquired the limited partner interest in Corpus Riversquare Apartments I LP
Merced partnered with Prospera Housing Community Services, WestEast Design Group
and persons with lived experience in the Methodist Healthcare Ministries Prosperemos Juntos/Thriving Together collaborative learning initiative and explored trauma-informed design principles
Merced acquired limited partner interest in Fenner Square, Ltd. and controls 100% of the partnership
that owns Fenner Square Apartments
Audio History
Audio interviews from the Story Corps Archive
Sister Susan Mika, OSB and Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, HOMI
Susan Sheeran and Kristin Davila
Sister Susan Mika, OSB and Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, HOMI
Recorded November 21, 2022
Susan Sheeran and Kristin Davila
Recorded December 7, 2022
