CONSTRUCTION FOR THE ENTIRE CENTER HERE IS EXPECTED TO WRAP UP LATER NEXT YEAR, AND IN INGLEWOOD THERE IS RECENT PROGRESS ON ANOTHER ONE OF THE SHUTTERED SCHOOLS.

MY COLLEAGUE NICK BLUMBERG IS STANDING BY WITH MOORE.

NICK?

>> Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT, BRANDIS.

A REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT NEARLY 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING TOOK A STEP FORWARD TODAY.

A GROUP OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN INGLEWOOD WANTS TO REPURPOSE THE FORMER ACADEMY INTO A 48-UNIT HOUSING FACILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE, INCLUDING FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CLINIC.

THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND THAT BILLINGS FACED VANDALISM, INCLUDING COPPER BEING RIPPED RIGHT OUT OF THE WALLS.

>> IT IS SAD AND TRAUMATIC TO WALK THROUGH THESE WALLS AND THINK ABOUT THIS.

IT HAS BEEN A JOURNEY TO LEARN ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT FROM THE GROUND UP.

WE ARE ADDING ANOTHER FLOOR.

WITH THIS PROJECT, THIS IS NOT EASY WORK .

IT MAY TAKE 10 YEARS.

I DON'T LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE THE PATIENCE TO DO THAT, BUT WHEN YOU LIVE HERE WE HAVE NOTHING BUT TIME!

>> Reporter: RIGHT NOW ONLY ONE OF THE CLOSED SCHOOLS HAS FOUND NEW PURPOSE, AND THAT IS THAT ELEMENTARY THAT I AM STANDING IN FRONT OF.

WHEN THE SCHOOL CLOSED PERMANENTLY IN 2013 IT WAS A LONGTIME BLOW FOR MANY RESIDENTS.

>> THE COMMUNITY WAS HORRIFIED.

WE WERE UPSET.

WE WERE FEELING SO MUCH AT A DISADVANTAGE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE THAT IMPACT.

WE HAD TO WALK AWAY WOUNDED.

WE FELT THE CHILDREN WERE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

>> Reporter: INGLEWOOD HAD SIX ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CLOSE IN 2013, THE MOST OF ANY COMMUNITY THAT YEAR.

BUT IN THE YEARS SINCE THAT A PEOPLE, DR. SHEILA MARTIN FOUND NEW WAYS TO CARE FOR THE CHILDREN IN HER COMMUNITY.

SHEPHERD'S HOPE STARTED OUT AS A FOOD TOWN BUT IT HAS SINCE PARTNERED WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO TRANSFORM THE SCHOOL INTO WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE CENTER OF INGLEWOOD.

>> WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS A TEST.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.

MORE THAN 6000 PEOPLE WALKED THROUGH THE DOORS RECEIVING HEALTHCARE, HOT COOKED MEALS AND EVEN FRESH GROCERIES.

SOME INGLEWOOD RESIDENTS HAVE MADE IT A PART OF THEIR DAILY ROUTINE.

>> JUST HEADING BACK OUT AND ADJOIN THE REST OF THE DAY IS A PART OF MY SCHEDULE.

>> Reporter: BRYAN ANDERSON, THE FOUNDER OF SHEPARD'S HOPE, PLACED A BID WITH HIS VISION IN MIND, BUT WITH THE BUILDING HAVING SAT VACANT FOR FIVE YEARS, HE SAID IT HAS NOT BECOME EASY.

>> I CAME HERE AFTER WE CLOSED AND THERE WERE CEILING TILES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THERE WERE ABOUT 5000 FEET OF COPPER CABLE STOLEN OUT OF HERE.

THIS COST US CLOSE TO 300,000.

>> Reporter: FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS HE AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO BUILD REPAIRS FOR THE HEALTHCARE AND FOOD DESERTS.

>> IT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE.

FOR ANY COMMUNITY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEEMED A VULNERABLE POPULATION, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE BETTER.

THEY CAN DO BETTER.

>> Reporter: ANDERSON SAYS 20% OF THE POPULATION THEY SERVE AS HOMELESS AND THAT THEY OPERATE OUT OF THE 27-CLASSROOM FACILITY.

HENRY, WHO KNOWS MOST VISITORS TO THE CENTER BY NAME, SAYS IT HAS BECOME A PLACE OF REFUGE.

>> IT IS A SAFE HAVEN.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COME HERE PER DAY.

>> THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.

I FEEL LIKE AS LONG AS IT IS HELPING OUT THE AREA AND THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, IT IS LIKE NOTHING EVER LEFT!

>> Reporter: THE MORATORIUM ON ANY ADDITIONAL SCHOOL CLOSINGS IS SET TO RUN OUT IN JANUARY 2025.

AS BRANDIS MENTIONED, A DECADE LATER, CPS IS STILL FACING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH UNDER ENROLLMENT, BUT MANY ADVOCATES ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE