() When visiting Las Vegas, you’re instantly confronted with the glitz and glamor of the entertainment capital, but underneath it all lies a well-kept secret.

Miles of tunnels under Las Vegas meant for storm drainage are now housing around 1,500 homeless men, women and children. got an exclusive look at the tunnels.

Homeless advocacy groups are working to get people living in the tunnels out of them to get treatment for substance and alcohol abuse, as well as to find them more stable housing.

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, overall homelessness in America rose by 18% in 2024, with more than 770,000 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.

spoke with Dave, a man currently living in the tunnels. He said he specializes in drawing anime art and has tried selling his art on the Vegas strip, but said he was pushed off by police who recognized that he didn’t have a license to sell.

Another woman, Beverly, lives in a tent down in the tunnels with her cats. She told she has many fears living in the tunnels, like not knowing what dangers are around the corner and someone with bad intentions trying to take advantage of her.

The Shine a Light Foundation, a Vegas-based nonprofit, comes down to the tunnels daily to try and make contact with the people who live in the tunnels and check on their well-being. Organizers with the foundation also tell them there is a better path forward, and they can help with whatever they need.

The organizers said they recognize that it’s not on them to pull people out of the tunnels, but that it has to be on the people who live down there to make that conscious decision for themselves.

“I understand, and as an organization, we understand that no one is coming out until they’re ready,” Rob Banghart, Shine a Light’s vice president of community integration, said. “We’re not going to force them out, but if I build that bond, when the moment comes, they know we’re here and they’re going to come get help.”

As reported by affiliate KLAS, another nonprofit organization, Campus for Hope, recently broke ground on a facility in Vegas to help the city’s homeless. It will have 900 beds and offer things like addiction recovery services and job training.

Campus for Hope told , “Campus for Hope will be a trauma-informed, service-rich environment that offers far more than temporary housing. It will provide real pathways to stability through offering housing, healthcare, job training, childcare, case management and wraparound services, all designed to help people rebuild and reclaim their independence.”