What Happened to People Living in Manhattan's Underground Tunnels?

The narrative of people living in Manhattan's underground tunnels gained significant public attention in the late 1980s and early 1990s, fueled by media reports and books like Teun Voeten's "Tunnel People." These individuals, often referred to as "mole people," sought refuge from the streets and often dangerous city shelters in abandoned subterranean spaces, most notably the Amtrak tunnel beneath Riverside Park, known as the Freedom Tunnel. At its height, this tunnel housed an estimated 75 to 100 people, forming makeshift communities with their own social structures.

The primary reason for choosing tunnel life over traditional shelters was a perceived lack of safety and privacy in the city's shelter system, coupled with a desire for independence and freedom from supervision. The tunnels offered a degree of anonymity and a sense of community for some, despite the inherent dangers of active train lines, poor ventilation, and harsh living conditions. Graffiti artists also utilized these spaces, contributing to the unique culture of the Freedom Tunnel.

A key turning point came in 1991 when Amtrak reactivated the Freedom Tunnel, leading to significant eviction efforts. Many residents were offered vouchers for temporary housing, though some returned to the tunnels due to underfunded shelters and continued systemic issues. Further evictions occurred in 1996. By the mid-1990s, the era of large, visible underground communities was largely over, with only a few individuals reportedly remaining.

In the years leading up to 2026, the issue of unsheltered homelessness in New York City, including those in subways and other hidden spaces, remains a significant concern. While large tunnel communities are rare, individuals still use these areas for shelter. The city has intensified its efforts to address homelessness, particularly in the subway system. In January 2025, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a surge of NYPD officers into the transit system at night and a new division for quality-of-life issues. This led to a dramatic increase in court cases for offenses like sleeping or sprawling out in public transit, from 19 in 2024 to approximately 600 in 2025, and surpassing that number by March 2026.

As of August 2026, New York City continues to implement comprehensive outreach programs, such as the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) survey conducted annually (most recently in March 2026), to identify and connect unsheltered individuals with services. The city has also invested significantly in expanding its safety net, including Safe Haven and stabilization beds, and has opened 24/7 "welcome centers" in subway stations to provide immediate support and pathways to permanent housing. Mayor Eric Adams' administration reported connecting over 3,500 homeless New Yorkers from streets and subways to permanent housing since early 2022, including over 1,000 from the subway system. Despite these efforts, the overall unsheltered homeless population in NYC saw a record high in the 2026 HOPE count, indicating the ongoing housing crisis and challenges in reaching this vulnerable population. However, expanded outreach efforts were credited with a significant decline in homeless deaths in 2025 compared to 2024.