With approval from the city’s Planning Commission last week, Concord will be home to the state’s first independent living facility for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Planning Commission Chairman Richard Woodfin praised the project, calling it “much needed” for the state.
The new facility will renovate the former Concord Monitor building on North State Street. Currently owned by Riverbend Mental Health Community Center, the property is expected to soon be sold to Next Step Living, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating housing solutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities seeking independent living.
This initiative addresses a critical need in a state where housing shortages are already a major concern. Finding suitable housing is even more difficult for people with intellectual disabilities.
Michael Dennehy, president of Next Step Living, said existing facilities tend to focus on medical care rather than promoting independent living for people with developmental disabilities.
“There are no housing developments in New Hampshire that are specifically designed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are almost completely independent with just a little bit of life-skills assistance,” Denney said. “It’s more instructional than anything else.”
According to a 2023 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four New Hampshire adults has a disability, including 13% with a cognitive impairment.
The three-story building will be renovated to house 12 adult dormitory-style rooms, with laundry rooms, bathrooms and kitchens on each floor, providing a supportive environment for residents to live independently.
For Denny, the project is very personal: His 23-year-old son has Down Syndrome and attends Shepherd College in Wisconsin, a school that teaches students how to live independently in a supportive environment.
“I would say we’re trying to replicate that model of providing independent living,” Dennehy said.
The nonprofit, which is currently seeking funding, aims to begin construction immediately, with the goal of having the facility up and running by January.
Staff help residents maintain schedules, such as getting to work on time, eating meals and doing laundry, so they can gain the freedom to manage their lives independently.
It has not yet been decided whether staff will be stationed at the facility full-time.
The facility aims to build a strong community through activities such as field trips and promote enriching experiences for all participants.
Denny noted the facility’s ideal downtown location will allow residents to walk to jobs, restaurants and grocery stores, allowing them to stay involved in the community while living independently.
“The support from the city of Concord has been really great,” he said, “so we’re really excited to get this project off the ground.”
Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be contacted at [email protected].