City Under The City - Jodi Hilton

Decades after the Romanian Revolution, a new generation of homeless, drug-addicted youth have taken to the streets and found shelter underground. Of about 6000 homeless people living in Bucharest, around 1000 are children. Many find warmth and shelter in Bucharest's system of underground heating canals. Romania's vast orphanage system was instituted during the time of Communist-era dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who outlawed abortion. During the early days of the post-Communist period, conditions at the orphanages reached an all-time low. Many children ran away when they were old enough to manage on their own. There they live short, tragic lives, sometimes bearing children, many of whom are taken into state custody like their parents before them.

Remus lives in a crawlspace by himself beneath Piata Victoriei in the center of Bucharest.

Mona, 19, pregnant with her second child, with her boyfriend living in Bucharest's vast system of underground canals used for heating, water and sewage pipes.

Sergiiu, 24, living under a bridge with other homeless youth. He has since given up drugs, got a job as a waiter, married and become a father.

Maddalena Ilie, 22, with her dog and her mother, 38 year-old Flori Ilie.

Christina at 19. She lives with other youths in the underground sewer and heating system and takes meals at a drop in center. She died several years later.

A homeless drug addict begs for money.

Cristina huffs Aurolac paint while her four-year-old cousin stands nearby.

Carina in an underground space that makes up Bucharest's vast system of heating and sewage canals.

A homeless and drug-addicted youth huffing Aurolac paint in Bucharest.

Dana, with her two year-old daughter, struggles each month to pay for a rented room.

Victory Outreach is a soup kitchen and support center for homeless people.

A woman addicted to heroine sleeps at a park near Gara de Nord.

Needle used for injecting heroine.

Discarded needles at a park near Gara de Nord.

A man reaches to bring his bag underground, through a crawlway near the entrance to the Gara de Nord train station in Bucharest. Underground is a vast complex occupied by drug addicts and homeless youth.

A man climbs into the underground passage.

"Bruce Lee" is the leader and protector of the drug addicted youth who gather at a park near Gara de Nord train station in Bucharest. He is known for wearing hundreds of keys, going around barefoot and is usually surrounded by about a dozen stray dogs.

Cosmin, 16, is a runaway living on the streets.