In a scene that could have been lifted from a dystopian novel, New York police are investigating a series of disturbing videos showing men emerging from city sewers. The footage, which has circulated widely on social media, shows individuals climbing out of manholes in various parts of the city, often at night. The videos have sparked fear and speculation, but for those of us who cover the real economy, they raise a more prosaic question: what drives a person to live in a sewer?
The answer, as ever, lies in the cost of living. New York, like London, has become a city of extremes. Rents have soared, wages have stagnated, and the gap between the haves and have-nots has become a chasm. For some, the sewers have become a last resort.
Community activists point to a growing housing crisis. Shelters are full. Support services are cut. And the number of people living in precarious conditions is rising. These are not criminals, they say. These are your neighbours, your fellow citizens, driven underground by a system that has failed them.
The police investigation is focused on the individuals in the videos, but perhaps it should also focus on the conditions that forced them there. The sewers are a symbol of a city that has lost its way. A city that spends billions on infrastructure above ground but neglects the people below.
As the sun rises over the gleaming towers of Manhattan, let us not forget the shadows beneath. This is not a horror story. It is a human one. And it demands a response that goes beyond policing.
Sarah Jenkins, Economy & Labour Reporter
