The credit should go to 23-year-old Liam Dennehy, at least that’s what his family thinks.

This week, one of Michael and Joya Dennehy’s long-term visions finally became a reality with the opening of Next Step Living, an independent home in Concord designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Liam, who has Down syndrome, inspired their commitment to creating this facility in New Hampshire, where housing is already scarce and options for people with disabilities are even slimmer.

“It’s a dream come true. It's absolutely exhilarating,” said Dennehy, Liam’s father. “If you could see the happiness on the faces of these residents, because they finally have a place that they can call home, and they finally have a community to themselves.”

Located at 3 North State Street, the three-story brick building provides housing for 11 residents who are capable of living independently. Eight residents have moved in since it opened its doors on April 1. Dennehy’s son is due to arrive two weeks after his graduation.

Each of the building’s three floors features a shared kitchen, living area and bathroom. 

A staff member is on-site around the clock and rent for each resident is $950 per month, said Dennehy.

While the project has been praised by many as a step toward easing the state's housing crisis, not everyone sees it as progress. 

Lisa Beaudoin, founder of the private consulting firm Strategies for Disability Equity, expressed concern, calling the facility a “step backward” in the push for inclusive, person-centered, community-based living with the appropriate supports for people with disabilities.

“When you stack people with disabilities all into one house, it reinforces ‘us-them’ assumptions that perpetuate segregation as well as undermining civil rights for people with disabilities and more, basically, inclusion,” said Beaudoin. 

For Beaudoin, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to housing for people with disabilities. 

Dennehy said Beaudoin is entitled to her opinion, but she’s missing the point.

“I would like to think anyone involved in the disability advocacy space would be happy to have different options,” he said. “Life should be about options.”

Beaudoin also criticized the facility’s routines, saying the nightly dinners and weekly responsibility charts restrict residents’ choice.

Dennehy said that community dinners are held three times a week and are entirely optional.

“All of the individuals have expressed a desire to get out of their lonely environment and into an environment that is more of a community with built-in friendships,” said Dennehy.

While Dennehy’s son will be the youngest resident in the facility at 23, the facility has individuals of varying ages, up to 45.

To encourage social engagement and inclusion, the facility also organizes regular outings, either weekly or monthly, such as trips to the beach, visits to the farmers market, or even excursions to Boston, said Dennehy. 

“The people who have decided on their own to live in this environment want to live in this environment. They're not forced to, and they're not asked to,” said Dennehy. “They have been so lonely, they're longing for friendships and it didn't work in their prior environment, so they've chosen an environment like this.”

 

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com.