Fact versus Fiction: Let's Set the Record Straight on V-Fee (Kings Project) and Affordable Housing

By Neil Henry-Candidate for Mendham Borough Mayor

Recently, a narrative has emerged suggesting that the Borough’s current position regarding the V-Fee property and affordable housing obligations is solely the result of decisions made during my administration as Mayor which ended in 2018. That narrative is not accurate and residents deserve a complete and factual account of how we arrived at this point. Restoring trust through honest and transparent public dialogue is one of the reasons I decided to run for Mayor again.

Affordable housing in New Jersey has been one of the most complex and evolving areas of municipal governance for decades. As I discussed in my previous paper on affordable housing, municipalities across the state spent many years operating in an uncertain legal environment while the State lacked a clearly functioning affordable housing enforcement framework. 

The Borough’s third-round affordable housing settlement negotiations did not occur during my administration. In fact, the critical third-round settlement negotiations with the Fair Share Housing Center occurred in 2020 under the Serrano-Glassner administration.

The public record which is available on Mendham Borough's web page reflects this clearly.

As stated in the August 11, 2020 meeting minutes:

“In closing the presentation, Mr. Semrau complimented Mayor Serrano-Glassner for attending the hearings and settlement meetings and further complimented the Mayor and Council for their diligence and hard work throughout the court process.”

Residents should also understand that the rezoning associated with the V-Fee property was not adopted unilaterally or without broader governing body support. The ordinance to rezone the property was adopted unanimously by the governing body at the time, including a favorable vote from then-Councilmember and current Mayor Kelly. That vote is likewise reflected in the same public meeting record.

This fact is not raised to assign blame or create political division. Unfortunately, the public narrative surrounding V-Fee has shifted over time from blaming state Democratic governing bodies to now suggesting that one individual alone is responsible for the Borough’s current position. That characterization is neither fair nor accurate.

Nor is it my intention to suggest that prior administrations or current elected officials are responsible for circumstances that municipalities across New Jersey have been navigating under an evolving affordable housing framework. I am simply presenting the factual history and public record so residents can better understand the series of events, legal realities, and public decisions that brought the Borough to where it is today.

It is equally important to distinguish between supporting a legal process and supporting a specific development proposal.

In July 2025, I authored an Op-Ed published in the Observer-Tribune with the goal of better communicating a clear perspective on the issue. My intent was to help residents better understand the difficult position facing the Joint Land Use Board and the Borough as a whole.

Emotions surrounding the application were (and remain) high. Many residents were (and remain) frustrated, angry, and concerned about the future of the community. I believed it was important to explain the legal realities facing municipalities under New Jersey’s affordable housing framework, particularly the serious risks associated with leaving the Borough vulnerable to a builder’s remedy lawsuit.

My purpose was to encourage residents to direct their frustration appropriately and to recognize that members of the Joint Land Use Board, our friends and neighbors who volunteer hours of public service, were working diligently within the confines of state law and court settlements.

The Op-Ed was never intended to signal support for the proposed project itself. Conversely, it was intended to show support for the residents and volunteers who meticulously reviewed the application and worked through an extraordinarily difficult process on behalf of the community.

As residents continue discussing the future of the V-Fee property and affordable housing in our Borough, it is essential that those discussions remain factual, balanced, and respectful of the many public officials, board members, professionals, and volunteers who participated in these difficult decisions over many years.