Exhibit 31.1
                                 CERTIFICATIONS

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

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

          2.   Based on my  knowledge,  this annual  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  periods  covered by this annual
               report;

          3.   Based  on my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other
               financial  information  included  in this annual  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 annual report;

          4.   The registrant's other certifying  officers and I are responsible
               for   establishing  and  maintaining   disclosure   controls  and
               procedures  (as defined in Exchange  Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14)
               for the registrant and we have:

               (a)  designed such  disclosure  controls and procedures 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 annual report is being prepared;

               (b)  evaluated the  effectiveness of the registrant's  disclosure
                    controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
                    the  filing  date of this  annual  report  (the  "Evaluation
                    Date"); and

               (c)  presented in this annual  report our  conclusions  about the
                    effectiveness  of the  disclosure  controls  and  procedures
                    based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

          5.   The registrant's other certifying  officers and I have disclosed,
               based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors
               and the audit  committee of  registrant's  board of directors (or
               persons performing the equivalent function):

               (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   data  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 controls; and

          Date:  September 24, 2004


          /s/  Wilfred N. Cooper, Jr.
          ---------------------------

          [Signature]

          Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WNC & Associates, Inc.