My apartment leasing office signed for an insured, trackable package that was for me, but says they "lost" it! What can i do?

You're going to have a hard, and possibly impossible, time getting around that language in the lease in any action against your apartment complex. But it may be worth a try.

The argument I'd make is that this was a "bailment," and that the apartment complex became your "bailee," meaning temporary holder of goods belonging to you. You should concede that the contract language is sufficient to immunize the complex from being held responsible if, for example, (a) a stranger broke into their offices and stole your box, or (b) a storm caused a tree limb to crash through the wall and it demolished your box.

But you would point out that the contract language does not release them from liability either for the complex's own negligence (as committed through its employees) or for the intentional torts (here, "conversion," the civil version of theft) of its employees. "Your honor," you would say, "No tenant would ever sign a lease with a company who was asking permission up front for its employees to steal the tenants blind, and this lease doesn't contain that kind of permission. And if they wanted to be released for acts of their own NEGLIGENCE -- as opposed to circumstances wholly outside their control -- they ought to have had to have said exactly that in the release for it to cover this kind of situation. Instead, this should be read as only extending to their potential liability for things wholly OUTSIDE their control, and that's not the kind of case I'm bringing."

Set the case for trial at the earliest possible date. Subpoena the manager as an "adverse witness" for your trial in small claims court. (The court staff can help you figure out how to get the subpoena issued and served.) Get him to acknowledge the signature on the receipt and to describe what they do as a general matter to keep residents' property from being stolen (e.g., keeping it in a locked room or behind a counter where only employees have ready access). They will NOT take the position that they do NOTHING, i.e., they won't say they leave stuff on the sidewalk where anyone could come get it. Get him to admit that even if it's provided as "a courtesy" and subject to the disclaimer for things legitimately outside their control (break-in during non-office hours, tree limb), providing this service is one of the many things they do to make residents happy, which they do because they ultimately want to attract and retain their tenants. Get him to acknowledge that they never reported to the police any sort of break-in by a stranger, or any sort of casualty event (tree limb) to their insurer. Ask what screens they do on potential employees re their criminal backgrounds (probably none).

You'd be building a case through CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence -- which can be just as valid as direct evidence (like a confession or an eye-witness) -- to the effect that the only thing that COULD have happened to the package was either (a) an outsider stealing it, which in turn implies a break-down and failure to use "ordinary care" in their enforcement of their own policies, or (b) an employee stealing it, which implies negligent hiring or supervision by the complex.

You might ALSO SUE the individual who signed for the package. He/she will probably ask the employer to "provide a defense." But the receipt shows that that person at least had access to the package, and the pressure of your circumstantial case -- i.e., your showing that no one else but employees should have had access to it -- puts pressure on them to come up with an alternative explanation.

My guess is that if you file a case in small claims court, the complex will very much want to avoid going to trial. Unlike you, they're required by Texas law to have a licensed attorney, even in small claims court, which creates a lot of pressure on them to avoid attorneys' fees on all but the most defensible cases (which this may not be, despite the contract language). Good luck!