The Tunnel People of Las Vegas

Deep beneath Vegas’s famous strip of glittering lights lies a sinister labyrinth of underground flood tunnels. These 200 miles of flood tunnels is home to a secret community of nearly 1,000 homeless people who eke out a living in the strip’s dark underbelly.
Despite the risks from disease, highly venomous spiders and flooding washing them away, many of the tunnel people have put together elaborate camps with furniture, ornaments and shelves filled with belongings. Some, like Steven and his girlfriend Kathryn, have furnished their home with considerable care - their 400sq ft ‘house’ boasts a double bed, a wardrobe and even a bookshelf. Tunnel residents have created wardrobes for their clothes and salvaged furniture to make the subterranean world more homely.


Most of the people who are living here are ones who have lost their job, war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, drug addicts and even criminals. They earn their money off the wildly excessive city above by begging and "dumpster diving" - raiding bins and skips. Some still have decent jobs in hotels and such.
Last week The Daily Mail and a number of other news sites (The Sun, ABC News) ran a story on these people where you can read more.

The blazing lights of the strip above give no indication of the city's dark underbelly