A couple who shared their life living in a storage unit on TikTok found themselves kicked out after their videos went viral.

Leland Brown Jr., hailing from Hatfield in Pennsylvania, along with his partner Breanna, opened up about their experiences with homelessness by living in a storage unit. Brown, employed as a food service worker, garnered thousands of followers on TikTok as he documented their unique lifestyle.

Their journey began with clips of them living in a tent, but they eventually settled on renting a storage unit, which they found to be more affordable than an apartment. In one of their videos, Brown remarked, “Living here is actually really comfortable. I can exercise, use the [public] bathroom, and it's climate-controlled, so it's nice and warm. This unit is accessible 24 hours, so I can come here anytime I want and stay as long as I need to. We are incredibly grateful to have this space.”

Their story resonated with millions of viewers, with many on the platform showing support for their situation. One commenter empathized, saying, “It’s terrible that in one of the most advanced countries, so many people are homeless. I’m crossing my fingers for you guys! Stay warm, stay safe.” Another commented, “I’ll say it once, I’ll say it a million times, if we can build storage units, we can end homelessness overnight.”

However, the attention they received came with consequences when the storage unit authorities discovered the couple's illegal use of the space. Living in a storage unit is against the law in the US, as confirmed by Selfstorage.com. According to Brian Hoel, President of BrainTrust Storage LLC, “State and local laws prohibit the residential use of storage units.”

In a subsequent TikTok video, Brown shared that they had been “kicked out” of the unit, leaving them to figure out their next steps with only a tent for shelter. Despite this setback, a silver lining emerged as Brown updated his followers, revealing that a generous benefactor had paid for them to stay in a hotel temporarily until they could stabilize their situation.

Currently, Brown’s eight-year-old son is residing with his mother while they work on finding a more permanent solution.

Their story is a reminder of the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness and the complexities surrounding finding shelter, even in the most unexpected places.