Exhibit 31-1
                                 CERTIFICATIONS

I, Wilfred N. Cooper, Jr., certify that:

1. I have reviewed this  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q of WNC CALIFORNIA
   HOUSING TAX CREDITS III,L.P.;


2. Based on my  knowledge,  this  quarterly  report  does not contain any
   untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material fact
   necessary to make the statements  made, in light of the  circumstances
   under which such  statements were made, not misleading with respect to
   the period covered by this quarterly report;

3. Based on my knowledge,  the financial statements,  and other financial
   information  included in this quarterly report,  fairly present in all
   material respects the financial  condition,  results of operations and
   cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods  presented in
   this quarterly report;

4. The registrant's  other  certifying  officer and I are responsible for
   establishing  and maintaining  disclosure  controls and procedures (as
   defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e))  for the
   registrant and we have:

    (a)  Designed  such  disclosure controls  and  procedures  to  ensure
         that material information relating to the  registrant, including
         material information relating  to  the registrant, including its
         consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by  others within
         those entities, particularly during  the period  in  which  this
         entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly
         report is being prepared;

    (b)  Evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  the  registrant's  disclosure
         controls  and  procedures  and  presented  in  this  report  our
         conclusions  about the effectiveness of the disclosure  controls
         and procedures, as  of  the  end  of the period covered  by this
         report based on such evaluation; and

    (c)  Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
         control  over  financial  reporting  that  occurred  during  the
         registrant's most recent  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially
         affected,  or is reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect, the
         registrant's  internal control over financial reporting; and

5.  The  registrant's other  certifying  officer(s) and I have disclosed,
    based  on  our  most  recent  evaluation  of  internal  control  over
    financial  reporting, to  the  registrant's  independent   registered
    accounting firm and the audit committee of the registrant's board  of
    directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):


   (a)  All  significant  deficiencies  in  the  design  or operation  of
        internal controls which could adversely affect  the  registrant's
        ability to  record,  process,   summarize  and  report  financial
        and  have identified for the  registrant's  auditors any material
        weaknesses in internal controls; and

   (b) Any fraud,  whether or not  material,  that involves management or
       other employees  who have a significant  role in the  registrant's
       internal control over financial reporting.

Date: November 18, 2005




/s/ Wilfred N. Cooper Jr.
-------------------------
President and Chief Executive Officer of WNC & Associates, Inc.