Inside America's largest homeless camp: Makeshift hut city houses 175 people in the shadow of Silicon Valley's best areas

PUBLISHED: 14:53 EST, 8 September 2013 | UPDATED: 02:16 EST, 9 September 2013

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Silicon Valley is known as the capital of the tech world but the area's homeless population has grown dramatically in recent years.

The dark underbelly of one of the Golden State's wealthiest areas has been exposed in a new collection of photos shot in one of Silicon Valley's homeless camps.

Tucked inside a dry, brittle area of forestation, a series of huts and makeshift camps has become known as 'The Jungle' that now serves as home to the most desperate of residents.

Tough area: Lynn, pictured, is one of the 175 or so people living in a homeless encampment in San Jose

Hunkering down: Troy, a former carpenter, used his skills to make his area more established than some of his neighbors and later built a tree house

Business Insider reporters spent a week getting to know the residents of The Jungle, who invited the reporters inside their tents and homes made of ply board and wood scraps.

Some of the roughly 175 residents who live in the area are unemployed masons and carpenters who have put their skills to use by making their homes more intricate and permanent.

One carpenter named Troy built an elaborate treehouse- making it even more befitting of a jungle- while a mason built stairs into the sloping ground.

Many impoverished in the land of plenty: The proximity of the homeless enclave to high tech firms is astounding

Familiar face: Mama Red, as this woman is called, used to own a flower shop but that closed nearly two decades ago

In the system: She reportedly first turned to the shelter system but hated it and moved to 'The Jungle'

While the homes that are built with pieces of wood seem far more stable than the tents or lean-tos that rely on cloth for protection from the elements, they are both outshone by their neighbors.

Some of the country's billionaires live within miles of The Jungle, including Google founder Larry Page.

The homeless problem in San Jose is not new, but the dramatic increase in recent years brings it closer to a tipping point.

Bill Moyers reports that homelessness in the area increased by 20 per cent in the last two years.

Depleting resources: The stream that runs through the camp serves many purposes for the residents

Growing problem: Homelessness has increased by 20 per cent in the past two years in Silicon Valley

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America is trying to compete with the Philippines for the best "corrugated shacks competition".

- royston amphlett , bournemouth, United Kingdom, 09/9/2013 08:01

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Bill Moyers is an ungrateful Marxist who probably lives in a $million home or apartment. Another guilt-ridden white leftist wanting the rest of us to suffer for his hypocrisy. YAWN.

- VegasWeddingPhotographer , Las Vegas, 09/9/2013 07:55

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Overpopulation.

- Tee Dee , San Luis Obispo, California, 09/9/2013 07:48

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America is a society that keeps poor people poor and uneducated allowing the elite to control washington and society.Is it obama's fault?..who knows but that guy who was in power for the previous eight years might have something to do with it..what was his name again?

- funklord , forest gate, 09/9/2013 07:47

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In my area, the so called "river people" population tripled in the past three years. Very sad to see so many elderly men and women, too, living under the bridge. I used to see younger people, those who had drug/alcohol problem, but never so many elderly. Shame on this administration, feeding and housing millions of illegals, but can't provide for the elderly citizens.

- Grandma , Seattle, 09/9/2013 07:42

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Thank you Comrade Barack, the USA has become the non-workers paradise. No job, no house, no hope, no future, and no change. Remember, he said Hope and Change...

- Laurence of Pewsey , Pewsey Wiltshire England, United Kingdom, 09/9/2013 07:35

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Not exactly the 'American Dream' the Americans would have us believe is it.

- Matt , Oxford, 09/9/2013 07:35

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This is where the USA should be spending money; not on a war no one believes will help the innocent Syrian civilians.

- redskelf , Bexhill, United Kingdom, 09/9/2013 07:08

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Why not ask them if they have cell phones donated by the government? If America fails so spectacularly it can and will happen anywhere. So easy to condemn people with nothing Rents are overblown and help is rarely adequate its all so depressing. As over here there is nothing that we make or Industry just crap jobs that are badly paid and people are just surviving. There goes Camaroon wanting to spend millions on another war, yes we are all tired of it wars can always be funded that is so depressing.

- fed up , Sussex, United Kingdom, 09/9/2013 07:06

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Living in the Bay Area I can only add that it really is very scary. People are afraid of losing jobs which do not pay enough to live. Many struggle despite working hard, it is terrifying to contemplate where we are headed. Finding somewhere to live is extremely hard.

- alimomof3 , CA,USA, 09/9/2013 06:41

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