1. Did you know the mole people stories are grounded in a very real story of people in New York City struggling in the 1970s and 1980s to find adequate shelter?. When the Riverside Tunnel was closed by Amtrak in 1980, it became a location for the houseless to find shelter. At least 50 people resided there and built shanty towns. This tunnel became a safe haven for many people experiencing homelessness who found shelter and companionship. Graffiti art by a man named Chris "Freedom" Pape and the security felt by its residents earned it the nickname "The Freedom Tunnel." In 1991 Amtrak decided to reactivate the Riverside Tunnel, evicting 50 people and providing them with vouchers for temporary housing. However, shelters were underfunded and the city's efforts to remove people experiencing homelessness from the streets forced many to return to the tunnel. By 1994, those remaining received more vouchers and most of them found permanent housing.
