MEND was incorporated as a New Jersey nonprofit corporation in July, 1969. The initial incorporators, representing various Moorestown churches, were: Boyce M. Adams, C. Dixon Heyer, Clarence L. Baylor, G.S. Spohn, Warren D. Sawyer, Rev. Fred D. Tennie, Jr., Steward R. Maines and Harold B. Wells, III, Esq. Mr. Adams is widely recognized as the founder of MEND. He served tirelessly as MEND’s chairperson from 1969 through 2003; and remained active in the organization until his death in 2006.

The organization’s early focus was on the revitalization of the Beech Street section of Moorestown, primarily through the provision of new affordable housing for the low and moderate income residents of the neighborhood. It is noteworthy that MEND’s pioneering efforts to address the need for affordable housing in one of New Jersey’s more affluent suburban towns predated the NJ Supreme Court’s nationally famous Mount Laurel I decision by almost 6 years. In that historic decision, the Court held that zoning ordinances which make it physically and economically impossible to produce low and moderate income housing were unconstitutional.

MEND’s start-up was long and arduous. The first nine years were spent on the design, financing, permitting and construction of an 18-unit apartment building on Beech Street. Construction of the first phase began in 1974 and the development was completed in 1978.

Since then, MEND has gone on to develop almost 500 units of affordable housing in more than 20 different locations in Burlington County. This housing encompasses both new construction and the adaptive re-use of existing historic structures. The size of our housing developments ranges from single-family houses to 100+ unit garden-apartments. And we have used every available financing vehicle including: HUD Section 202 and Section 8 programs, Low Income Housing Tax Credits via the NJHMFA, HOME funds from Burlington County, Balanced Housing funds from NJDCA, the Federal Home Loan Bank, COAH-related local housing development trust funds from municipalities and various conventional and tax-exempt debt instruments.

Boyce M. Adams
MEND Chairperson from 1969-2003

Boyce M. Adams Apartments
Moorestown