After year of controversy, Greensboro's Interactive Resource Center looks for reset

The Interactive Resource Center in Greensboro has long provided a space and resources for people without housing. But city officials and neighbors voiced safety concerns when the organization moved to a 24/7 model to help a growing number of those in need.

The nonprofit ended its extended hours in November. Soon after, the executive director resigned.

Following a year of controversy, the center is now looking towards the future.

Interim Executive Director Bennita Curtain recently spoke with WFDD's DJ Simmons on the organization's next steps.

Interview highlights:

On balancing a low-barrier philosophy with calls for more security:

"One of the things we like to say is low-barrier doesn't mean no barrier, right? So, you know, drinking, smoking, drugs, any of that use, is not acceptable here. But we're also trying to educate our people that it's not acceptable in this community. This is a place where you're coming for services and you need to respect your neighbors. We're gonna respect our neighbors, so you're gonna respect our neighbors."

On the evolving population they help:

"I will go back to COVID a little bit. The face of homelessness really started to change at that time, and a lot of unexpected things were coming out of that. And so what we continued to see, especially with the rise of rental costs, was that more families were experiencing homelessness, and more people who made the what we would call 'the working poor.' We saw more of that coming through."

On maintaining a relationship with the larger community:

"I think there's always merit in constructive criticism. So I think as long as two people have respect when they're coming to each other, I really don't care if you come with constructive criticism, please come, because that's the only way that we're going to grow and that we're going to be able to be a community, is if we're talking about the real issues and trying to get down to real solutions."

Editor's Note: This transcript was lightly edited for clarity.