Lancaster Group Home Faces Scrutiny After Arrest and Resident Safety Concerns

LANCASTER — A recent arrest has drawn public attention to a group home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities on Portland Street and renewed concerns about how such facilities are sited and supervised. Next Steps Community Services, a nonprofit that operates the home at 75 Portland St., is facing increased scrutiny after the April 9 arrest of 42-year-old Joshua McDermott. He was charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct following what police described as a minor disturbance involving property damage. McDermott’s criminal history — including a 2013 conviction for raping another inmate while incarcerated — circulated on social media after the arrest. The publicity has prompted questions from residents about who lives in the home and how decisions are made about where such facilities are located.