EXHIBIT 31-2
                                 CERTIFICATIONS

I, Melanie R. Wenk, 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-15e and 15d-15e for the  registrant
          and we have:

     (a)  Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or caused such
          disclosure   controls  and   procedures  to  be  designed   under  our
          supervision,  to ensure  that  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 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  public  accounting firm and the
     audit  committee  of  the  registrant's  board  of  directors  (or  persons
     performing the equivalent functions):

     (a)  All significant  deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
          operation  of internal  control  over  financial  reporting  which are
          reasonably  likely to adversely affect in the registrant's  ability to
          record, process, summarize and report financial information; 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: October 9, 2009




         /s/ Melanie R. Wenk
         -------------------
         Vice-President - Chief Financial Officer of WNC & Associates, Inc.