Prior to founding Mercer Companies, Inc. in 1978, Mercer's President, William Bantz, was a Multi-Family Housing Representative for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He was responsible for new construction and substantial rehabilitation projects for 30 counties within New York State.

Projects developed include:

• Renwyck Place and Van Rensselaer Heights, 204 units of Section 8 in Rensselaer, New York
• Holyrood House, 96 units of Section 8 in Scotia, New York
• Syracuse Apartments, 515 Units of Section 8 in Syracuse, New York
• Keeseville Country Gardens, 50 Units of Section 8 housing in Keeseville, New York
• Nathan Galinsky Apartments, 111 Units of Section 8 housing located in Herkimer, New York
• Donald E. Smith Apartments, 50 Units of Section 8, elderly, located in Tupper Lake, New York
• Lansingburgh Apartments, 96 Units of Section 8, elderly, located in Troy, New York
• Woodburn Court II, Section 8 multi-family housing, situated in the Southern Tier of New York in Binghamton