Dozens of residents of Marblehead, Massachusetts, say they were blindsided by a new sober living home that opened in a residential neighborhood about five weeks ago without any notice.
They packed a public meeting with leaders from the organization running the home — Vanderburgh House — on Monday evening.
"People, I think, really walked away feeling very unsettled," Maribeth Barrell said. "As neighbors, we're very concerned about who could be two doors down from us."
The sober living home on Humphrey Street can house up to 19 men and one mentor.
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Vanderburgh House does not conduct background checks on the men, the organization confirmed to NBC10 Boston.
"Speaking to the physical community around one of our homes, we can't provide any guarantees of anyone's safety," Vanderburgh House Executive Director Hunter Foote said. "With [any] individuals that move into a neighborhood. Have you ever done a criminal background on your neighbors?"
According to Foote, there is a thorough phone interview before anyone new moves into the home.
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"We have strict policies on sex offenders, no arson, and in almost no cases do we accept anyone with violent crime," Foote said.
As of Tuesday, only three men lived there and were required to do urine testing and attend recovery meetings, among other rules, Foote said.
Vanderburgh House could only confirm one neighborhood disturbance, so far, since operations in Marblehead started; a man called emergency responders for himself.
Another public meeting was tentatively planned for this summer.
