Beginning in the late 1980s
Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP
Merced Housing Texas’s story began in the late 1980s with 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 low-income residents.
These conversations led to meetings between teams of women religious and city leaders talking about San Antonio’s most urgent needs.
Affordable housing emerged as the most critical.
Out of these conversations and meetings, Merced Housing was founded in 1995 by nine congregations of Catholic women religious for the purpose of addressing housing justice for low-income San Antonio residents.
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.
Founders or Sustaining Congregations
Congregation of Benedictine Sisters
Congregation of Divine Providence
Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence
Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate
Associate Congregations
Congregation of Saint Brigid
Daughters of Mary Immaculate
Ursuline Nuns of San Antonio
Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Corpus Christi
Sisters of the Holy Family
When Merced’s founders were ready to launch Merced in 1995, they searched for the ideal founding President. They found one in Susan R. Sheeran, who had extensive experience in affordable housing development in both San Antonio and Denver, Colorado. Sheeran shepherded Merced from the very beginning through February 2019, when she retired. She led Merced through the development of 15 multifamily communities, the genesis and growth of the Owner-Occupied Repair Program, and the progress of the Resident Services Program. Sheeran mentored current President and Executive Director Kristin L. Davila to replace her. Davila continues to lead Merced with the commitment to mission that her predecessor modeled.
Merced Housing Texas, is chartered by the State of Texas as a non-profit corporation and is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.