Interactive Resource Center hosts town hall to address community concerns

Leadership at the Interactive Resource Center in Greensboro held a town hall Tuesday at Scuppernong Books to discuss recent challenges while also calling for more collective action to tackle the broader issue of homelessness.

Around two dozen people gathered for the conversation that ranged from the IRC's role in the city to its safety measures. The center moved to a 24/7 model earlier this year to assist the increasing number of people without housing but has since faced some scrutiny from local officials and neighbors.

IRC Executive Director Kristina Singleton said the organization is striving to be as accessible as possible for people in incredibly difficult situations.

"Everyone in this room has made bad choices before; the issue there is trying to get to the root of it, trying to talk it out, trying to figure out exactly what we're dealing with and how we can help, not policing it," Singleton said. She added that they try to focus more on de-escalation.

She said permanent supportive housing is needed now more than ever as the center also prepares for a possible influx of individuals from western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.