Las Vegas is famous for its shimmering lights, lively nightlife, and grand casinos. Most tourists stroll up and down the strip, gambling, shopping, sightseeing, and eating all day. However, only a few visitors discover the labyrinth of underground tunnels beneath Sin City that has become a sanctuary for unhoused people.

How this underground city began remains a mystery. Some say the tunnels started as a way for bootleggers to escape during the prohibition era, but that’s a common misconception—the city first started digging these tunnels to redirect water from the city.

The maze of tunnels beneath Las Vegas is elaborate and fascinating. It encompasses hundreds of miles intended to capture and redirect water. There are several entrances to these tunnels all over the town.

While the tunnels are mostly dark and damp, thousands of Vegas residents call these tunnels home. Sadly, the people living in this underground city are America’s forgotten.

One may wonder how there are so many unhoused people living in the city. We can trace this condition to the housing insecurity epidemic in the US—over 200,000 Americans sleep in public places because they have nowhere else to call home.

Although America already had a housing crisis, the pandemic only seemed to exacerbate the issue. Many came to accept it, but looked away and ignored the glaring problem.

The hidden community contrasts sharply with the bright signs glowing around the clock above the surface. There’s no fresh water below the city, and the only electricity comes from batteries.

Entering the tunnels isn’t always easy, as there’s little to no space left for new residents, and getting out can be even more difficult. Although many people would love to leave, most are afraid to explore the world beyond the tunnels.

The people living in the city have created a haven for themselves using whatever they can find, including bed frames, barbecue grills, coolers, tables, and chairs.

The underground tunnels were created to redirect floods from the city. Therefore, when the water comes through, it usually comes fast and hard. Due to this, the water sweeps away everything it comes in contact with.

Although the underground city is considered a haven, it’s also filled with residents who struggle with addiction. It has also become a makeshift home for drug peddlers looking to stay off the radar of law enforcement.

The floods aren’t the only danger faced by tunnel dwellers. The underground city is also home to violence and crime, and it has become a hotbed of criminals taking advantage of vulnerable people.

Despite the dangers plaguing the tunnels, there’s also a culture of sharing. This way of life developed due to the belief that there are times your life will be entirely dependent on your neighbor. It is also a great way to survive the horrors beneath the city.

Due to the existence of life beneath the city, having law and order in the tunnels became imperative. Every community in the tunnels has elected officials and a mayor who keeps the peace.

Paul Vautrinot is a 34-year-old man with arm and neck tattoos always peeking out of his shirts. He is the executive director of the Shine a Light Foundation, a non-profit outreach program designed to assist those who live in the tunnels.

Vautrinot stayed in the tunnels for three years, and how he ended up there might surprise you. He grew up in Las Vegas with a mother who was an addict. However, Paul didn’t move to the tunnels to escape his mother.

It wasn’t until a year later that Paul began to live on the street. One day, he met a group of older men who invited him down to their tunnel. There he saw a new life beneath the city he had always lived in.

They offered Paul a mattress, a bed, and a nightstand so he could take up residence in the tunnels. Being the newest resident in the underground city, Paul’s bed was the closest to the entrance.

Paul learned the various sounds for alerting visitors, especially about the police. Although this was a different pace from the life he knew above the tunnels, he was happy to have shelter and a community to share it with.

The consequence of breaking the code was a scary new reality for Paul—an infraction meant you could simply return from a day’s hustle and find your items on fire.

Paul settled into his new home and got acquainted with more residents in the underground city. He loved to explore the labyrinthine maze and develop new friendships.

Few people knew the tunnels the way that Paul did. When he wanted to, he could speed through the labyrinth of tunnels on his bike in pitch darkness, and never miss his way.

Paul would meet buyers at various grates around town, take their money through the bars, and pass them the drugs. After the deed, he would speed off into the darkness, never getting caught.

As his business grew, so did the attention it drew. Soon, Paul ran off all the drug-dealing veterans who took him in. He became the best plug in town and recruited even more clientele. However, the good times weren’t without danger.

Although Paul drew the type of attention he wanted, he also attracted the attention of the police. Soon, it all became too much for him. 

When Paul got arrested, he decided he was done with the old life. He entered drug court, got sober, and got a job at a car wash just above the tunnels where he once lived. Paul knew many people like him might also want to get out, so he took a step no one expected.

In the time since, Paul has seen many people come and go from the underground community. Although the tunnels are dark and bleak, he can’t resist the pull to return to the underground city and help where possible.

Paul and his outreach program Shine a Light were instrumental in drawing attention to the underground city. The city is a symbol of hope and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It remains a reminder that even in the darkest places, there’s a potential for light.