A couple who documented living in a storage unit on TikTok were kicked out after their videos, which showed what they were doing was illegal, went viral.
Leland Brown Jr., from Hatfield in Pennsylvania, has been living in a storage unit with his partner Breanna after opening up about his experiences with homelessness.
Brown works as a food service worker but has gained thousands of followers on TikTok after documenting their unique lifestyle.
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After sharing multiple clips to the platform of them living in a tent, the pair decided to rent a storage unit which is ‘cheap in comparison to an apartment’.
In one of the videos, he said: “Living here is actually really comfortable.
“I can exercise, I can use the [public] bathroom, and it's climate controlled in here so it's nice and warm.
“This unit is 24 hours, so I can come here anytime I want [and] stay here as long as I need to. We are very, very grateful to have this space.”
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Their living situation has attracted millions of views, and users on the platform have been supportive of their journey.
One person in the comments said: “It’s horrible that so many people who live in [one of the] most advanced countries are homeless.
“I’m crossing my fingers for you guys! Stay warm, stay safe.”
Another said: “I’ll say it once, I’ll say it a million times, if we can build storage units we can end homelessness overnight.”
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Unfortunately, however, receiving the views came as a double-edged sword when the people in charge of the storage unit found out what they were using it for - something that is illegal in the US.
In another clip shared to TikTok, he said that he and his partner had been ‘kicked out’ of the unit.
He said: “We're just trying to figure out where to go and what we're going to do with all of our stuff. Now all we have is a tent.”
According to Selfstorage.com, living in a storage unit is, indeed, illegal.
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Their website says: “It is against the law to live in a storage unit in the United States. According to Brian Hoel, President of BrainTrust Storage LLC, it’s a straightforward issue.
“State and local laws prohibit the residential use of storage units.”
Brown has since updated his followers, explaining that a benefactor has paid for him and Breanna to stay in a hotel until they are able to get back on their feet.
Brown’s eight-year-old son is currently living with his mother.
Mia Williams