A St. Louis mother of two says her life has been turned upside down after her apartment was mistakenly cleared out by management, leaving her and her children without a home or belongings.
Storm Burris says the incident happened in 2021 at Renewal Heights Apartments in Ferguson, formerly known as Canfield Green. She returned home one afternoon after dropping her children off at school to find her unit completely emptied. Clothes, toys, furniture, and electronics belonging to her family had all been thrown into a dumpster.
“They were laughing. … ‘This is crazy,’” Burris told KSDK News as reported recently on Sept. 2, recalling what the apartment manager said when she confronted staff. “When I took a good look at it, it was all my babies’ stuff in it, and I was in shock.”
According to the Ferguson Police Department, the apartment manager mistakenly ordered maintenance to clear out the wrong unit. Burris, a paying tenant with only September’s rent left on her lease, was not supposed to be evicted at all. Police categorized the incident as a “burglary.”
Belongings Lost and Stolen
Burris says the items lost included her son’s bedroom set, two iPads, children’s motorized toy cars, jewelry from Pandora and Kay, a safe, and a $2,000 engagement ring. She also claims the eviction crew rummaged through totes, dumped her possessions, and kept the containers to carry away items they wanted.
Some belongings were recovered after police escorted Burris to units where members of the eviction team lived, but many items were either broken, stained, or missing altogether.
Apartment Complex Response
Once the mistake was realized, Renewal Heights reportedly offered Burris $5,000 and one month of free rent. She declined, saying the offer did not come close to covering her losses.
Burris has since moved out of the apartment complex entirely, on the advice of her lawyer. She and her children are now staying with relatives while she pursues legal action.
“I do everything I am supposed to do, and this just really set me back a lot,” she said. “This shows how easily families can lose everything through no fault of their own, and how little accountability exists when a landlord or eviction team makes such a catastrophic mistake. I am asking for accountability, community support, and a chance to rebuild my life for my children.”
Community Support
Burris has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her and her children recover from the loss. Donations can be made here: GoFundMe – Help Rebuild a Home for Displaced Family.
