Overview
Merritt launched Commitment to California (C2C) in 2022 to attract, train, and retain affordable housing professionals through scholarships, internships, career development, and industry engagement. As Merritt’s reinvestment arm, C2C empowers the work we do in our core business as a lender and investor in affordable housing.
By focusing on people, housing, and policy, C2C holistically invests in affordable housing. Our programs support practitioners who work on every stage of housing production and preservation, promoting effective stewardship of affordable housing in California.
From development to finance and asset management to property management, we equip future leaders with a wide range of skills to prepare them for the evolving needs of local communities. C2C graduates go on to influence policy, drive development timelines, and keep our neighbors housed in communities where they can thrive.
Investing in people allows C2C to support shifts that make the affordable housing ecosystem more just and effective. What takes C2C a step further is its investment in both housing and people, which is essential: housing stability is inextricably linked to career stability. Keeping people housed requires both producing homes and ensuring that the people who build, operate, and steward them have access to quality jobs. C2C reinforces this interconnected system, supporting a resilient workforce across California.
As a core pillar of Merritt’s work, C2C has grown exponentially since its launch, both in the number of participants served and community impact. Over time, C2C has strengthened its competitive edge by providing much-needed leadership development the industry needs across all levels and roles within affordable housing.
Over the past three years, Merritt has dedicated $5M to support C2C — this investment has shaped the futures of over 1,500 practitioners, 68% of whom have lived experience in poverty and housing instability. We’re proud to share that 75% of program participants have pursued meaningful careers in affordable housing.
We’re proud to see our flagship program, Merritt Scholars, experience remarkable growth and rising demand since its launch in 2009 — receiving a total of 464 applications and celebrating 70 graduates, an overall acceptance rate of 15%. In 2025 alone, the program reached new heights with 185 applicants and just 14 Scholars selected, bringing the acceptance rate to 8%.
2025
We’re thrilled to share that 2025 was another impactful year for C2C! Across all programs, Merritt invested $1.5M over the past year, supporting 739 participants.
Notably, we completed our very first Job Demand Study! As the industry evolves, it’s important we stay connected to what’s changing, so we can continue creating programs that prepare the next generation of housing leaders for meaningful careers.
We learned there’s a particularly high demand for property management professionals, which is the primary motivation for launching our School of Affordable Housing (SOAH). SOAH is a unique workforce development initiative that provides property management training for early-career professionals. Through partnership with community colleges and property owners, SOAH makes property management training accessible through existing certificate programs and is inspired by the proven SDHF AHM Academy model.
The study also confirmed the skills gap that exists today in affordable housing development, which makes our support of partner programs so essential.
Across these areas, the greatest need observed is leadership development. No matter the role—it’s vital that emerging leaders feel equipped, confident, and empowered to drive change in a dynamic and high-need industry.
Because of the insights learned, we plan to continue deploying this study on an annual basis – not only to help tailor our C2C programs, but to share this data as a resource to our partners and communities across affordable housing.
Secondly, the connectivity we have built across all of our C2C programs is stronger than ever. C2C’s success is rooted in cross-sector collaboration: the partnerships we forge ensure that participants gain exposure to multiple perspectives and build relationships that extend far beyond Merritt.
A special aspect of C2C is that we often witness “full circle” moments. Merritt Scholars go on to become mentors to future Scholars, and recently, we were fortunate to experience two shining examples of this:
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- Cristina Martinez, Merritt’s Senior Acquisitions Manager, brings more than a decade of experience in affordable housing development and finance. Her journey has included participation in four C2C programs: starting as a CCRH intern, graduating to HDTI, and then becoming a Merritt Scholar and SOAH mentor.
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- Ali Day, our Acquisitions Associate, brings over four years of experience in housing development, with much of her focus on project management. As a former Merritt Scholar and HDTI graduate, Ali exemplifies the spirit of C2C. Even after completing their initial programs, we see the strong impact these experiences have on alumni, because their passion lives on in other capacities that continue to give back to our communities.
Merritt Scholars
Our 14 Merritt Scholars attended SCANPH, NPH, SDHF, and CCRH, participating in networking receptions and learning about the latest industry updates. We were especially excited to collaborate with former Merritt Scholars, Alexis Johnson and Kayla Brons on a panel at the SDHF annual conference.
Through mentorship and shared experiences, Scholars were able to build an organic network of peers and leaders who are equally committed to strengthening the future of affordable housing.
With increased hands-on experience and a new emphasis on leadership development, our Merritt Scholars’ industry knowledge is more versatile than ever, ensuring they are tangibly equipped to tackle tomorrow’s housing challenges.
AMS+
Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI)
Career Programs and Internships
Looking Ahead
Merritt’s goal is to intentionally grow Commitment to California through collaboration with partners, especially as we focus on building an alumni network, emphasizing job placement, and tracking career development.
In 2026, our School of Affordable Housing (SOAH) will expand its property management training for early-career professionals, launching in the Bay Area and Los Angeles – stay tuned for more details!
We will also expand the Asset Management Specialist+ program by expanding training opportunities and incorporating a stronger mentorship component.
This incredible work is only possible through collaboration—by partnering with organizations that share our mission and put people first. We are grateful for each of you and look forward to working with you in 2026 to deepen our impact!
Thank you to our partners and participants!
Merritt Scholars and Merritt Scholar Mentors
CHAM: Asset Management+ Cohort
California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH): Internship Program & Emerging Leaders Fellowship
California Housing Partnership: Equity Policy Research Fellowship
Housing CA
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI)
Non-Profit Housing Association (NPH): Bay Area Housing Internship Program (BAHIP) and Emerging Leaders Peer Network (ELPN)
Southern California Association of Non-Profits (SCANPH): Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)
San Diego Housing Federation (SDHF): School of Affordable Housing
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Learn more about Commitment to California.
About Merritt Community Capital Corporation
Merritt Community Capital Corporation is a mission-oriented affordable housing funder that serves the state of California. For more than 35 years, Merritt has been a trusted partner, investing more than $1.7 billion and creating over 12,000 affordable homes across California. Beyond investing in properties, Merritt invests in people. Through its Commitment to California initiative (C2C), Merritt proudly spearheads programs across the state that attract, train, and retain current and future affordable housers.
Merritt is also the West Coast member of the National Association of State and Local Equity Funds (NASLEF), which empowers locally engaged, mission-driven housing and community investment partners to build thriving communities. By partnering with mission-aligned organizations and developers in the affordable housing space, Merritt ensures the most critical communities are developed and maintained for low-income residents.