>>> A NEW RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX FOR UNHOUSED PEOPLE WAS JUST UNVEILED IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY. IT IS SOMETHING HAPPENING ACROSS THE BAY AREA, BUT THIS INVOLVED THE TRANSFORMATION OF A VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDING. JOHN RAMOS HAS MORE ON THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF TURNING EMPTY OFFICES INTO PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE. >> Reporter: HOUSING ADVOCATES OFTEN SAY THE SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS IS TO BUILD MORE HOMES, BUT THAT CAN BE A PRETTY SLOW PROCESS. TO DO IT QUICKLY REQUIRES A LITTLE IMAGINATION. >> Reporter: FOR YEARS, HOMELESS ADVOCATES HAVE TALKED ABOUT TURNING UNUSED OFFICE SPACE IN SAN FRANCISCO INTO HOUSING. IN SAN PABLO, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT. >> I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE AT THE OPENING OF WHAT IS A MODEL PROJECT TO REALLY HELP SOLVE HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. >> Reporter: ON SATURDAY, OFFICIALS CELEBRATED THE COMPLETION OF A 54 UNIT COMPLEX OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS. THE COUNTY HAD PLANNED TO DEMOLISH AN OLD BUILDING THEY OWNED NEXT DOOR. >> OKAY, WE WILL LOOK AT FUNDING TO BUILD MICRO HOUSING ON OUR VACANT SITE. AND THEN WE STARTED TALKING TO JERRY, AND HIS TEAM, BECAUSE THEY OWNED A VACANT OFFICE BUILDING ON THIS SITE. >> Reporter: JERRY FOUNDED OVERALL CONSTRUCTION IN THE 1960S AND HE BILLED THIS CALLCENTER FOR PAT BELL IN 1971. WHEN THE NEED FOR LONG-DISTANCE OPERATORS ENDED, THE BUILDING BECAME OBSOLETE AS WELL PERIOD BUT, RATHER THAN KNOCK IT DOWN, JERRY HAS OFFERED IT A NEW LIFE. >> THIS IS A CONVERSION FROM OFFICE TO HOUSING. AND THAT IS PRETTY HARD TO DO. >> Reporter: SO HE HANDED THE PROJECT OVER TO HIS GRANDSON, JARED GREG. >> SOME OF THE CHALLENGE IS MEETING MODERN CODE, STRUCTURAL CODE, SEISMIC CODE, WE ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE FAULT, GETTING ALL THE PIECES, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, GETTING THE BUILDING DIVIDED INTO UNITS. >> Reporter: AND THEY HANDED IT DOWN TO CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR TONY BRITTON. >> WHEN I WALKED INTO THIS PLACE IT WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? >> Reporter: TONY HAD TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS THAT POPPED UP ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS. THE FIRST HAD TO DO WITH OPENING UP THE CENTER OF A CONCRETE BUILDING , TO ALLOW LIGHT INTO THE APARTMENTS. >> WHEN I CAME UP HERE I WAS LIKE OH, HOW ARE WE DOING THIS? NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS FLOOR OUT, ALONG WITH THAT CONCRETE. AND AS WE DEMOED THE CONCRETE OUT, WE RAN INTO ANOTHER SITUATION, OF HOW WE WILL GET THESE BEAMS DOWN. >> Reporter: IT WAS ONE HEADACHE AFTER ANOTHER, AND TONY SAID HE HAD TO ACT AS A COUNSELOR FOR HIS CREW TO KEEP THE BIBLE POSITIVE. IT WASN'T EASY, BUT WHEN FINISHED, HE HAD CREATED A NEW PURPOSE FOR AN OLD BUILDING, AND NEW HOPE FOR PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS. >> YOU ARE GOING TO FIND THINGS THAT YOU DID NOT KNOW WAS HERE, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BE VERY CREATIVE AND THINK OUT-OF-THE-BOX. >> Reporter: THIS TOOK ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS TO COMPLETE, AND UNHEARD-OF TIMELINE TO CREATE 54 NEW HOMES . CONVERTING EXISTING BUILDINGS IS NOT THE WAY CONSTRUCTION IS USUALLY DONE, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE QUICKEST. AND THAT SHOULD MATTER, IF YOU CONSIDER THE HOUSING SHORTAGE TO BE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. >> Reporter: IT WILL BE OPERATED BY THE COUNTY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND IT
