People living near a new group home housing adults with DDID aired concerns

LITTLETON — People living near a new group home housing adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities (DDID) aired concerns and mistrust on Thursday, saying it is too close to residences, children, and an elementary school, and the company that bought it did so by “sneaking in” and without the courtesy of notifying abutters. Although the services are needed and they support them, abutters voiced fears about clients with possible criminal histories living close by in a neighborhood that they said is too small. Some two dozen residents and abutters turned out to a gathering organized by Ripley at the Littleton Community House to speak with the staff and senior management of Next Steps Community Services LLC. The 2-hour meeting drew much discussion, some of it heated and with emotion. The house at 10 Pest House Road was purchased on Oct. 29 by Next Steps, owned by the nonprofit Becket Academy/Family of Services. A community forum like Thursday’s that included Next Steps representatives should have been held in advance, said Ripley