In 1981, the Sisters of Mercy of Omaha found that a lack of adequate housing was the root cause of many of the health and education problems they saw in their community. With an initial investment of $500,000, they founded Mercy Housing, Inc., a non-profit, public-benefit corporation in Nebraska.

The Sisters began by acquiring properties that were at risk of being sold at market rate. They renovated the properties and leased them to low-income people. They also realized, however, that they wanted to go beyond providing only a home for families, seniors and people with special needs. The Sisters of Mercy wanted to provide services and programs that would help these residents stabilize their lives and thrive in their communities.

Today, Mercy Housing is a national organization that acquires and dev elops program-enriched housing for a variety of low-income populations, including families, seniors and people with special needs.