Housing Authority Of The County Of Merced

Housing Authority Of The County Of Merced is a U.S. local government entity and public housing authority that receives federal formula grants and project grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to operate and modernize public housing units serving low-income residents in Merced County, California. The authority operates as a recipient of HUD grant funding rather than a federal contractor and does not compete for federal contracts.

Housing Authority Of The County Of Merced is a local government housing authority headquartered in Merced, California. The authority serves as the prime recipient for nearly all of its federal awards (99% of 125 total awards), with a single sub-award role under the Federal Emergency Management Agency via the Office of Emergency Services. The entity's federal funding footprint is concentrated almost entirely within HUD: the Public and Indian Housing Office accounts for 117 awards, the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development accounts for 7 awards, and FEMA accounts for 1 award, providing 100% coverage of the authority's recent award portfolio.

The authority's grant work centers on three core HUD programs. The Public Housing Operating Fund (CFDA 14.850) provides formula grants to cover day-to-day operational and maintenance expenses for public housing units, including property management, routine and preventative maintenance, anti-crime and security activities, energy costs, resident supportive services, insurance, debt service, and administrative program implementation. Recent operating fund grants obligated in 2024 and 2025 include allocations of $143,349, $222,153, and $313,445 for fiscal years running through 2031 and 2032. The Public Housing Capital Fund (CFDA 14.872) supplies capital formula grants for public housing modernization, development, and management improvements under a 5-year action plan framework; the authority received a $1.605 million capital grant effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2030, plus an earlier $1.605 million capital award obligated in May 2024 with completion in May 2028. The Family Self-Sufficiency Program (Section 23 of the 1937 Housing Act) funds FSS coordinator positions supporting families in the transition to employment and self-sufficiency; the authority held FSS project grants for calendar years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. The authority also received a Continuum of Care Program project grant from HUD's Community Planning and Development office in 2021 and again in 2022, supporting homeless assistance and housing activities. All grant dollars obligated across the authority's portfolio total $49.3 million.

Activity has remained stable at six to seven awards per year over the past five years. Eleven awards reach ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, representing the authority's renewal cycle exposure under its formula grant programs. The authority's sub-award role consisted of a May 2024 Streamline project emergency shelter sub-grant under the California Office of Emergency Services, marked as a non-congregate shelter effort with a 75 percent cost share requirement. As a local housing authority, Housing Authority Of The County Of Merced does not serve as a subcontractor to federal prime contractors and does not maintain a footprint in federal contract vehicles, IDIQs, or GWACs.