Tiny House Scam

2022 was a year of great joys and devastation. In July, I thought my dream of owning a tiny home was coming true.

I had been saving and planning for quite a bit of time. As a single mom of a then 3 year old, I knew this was finally going to be our dream come true, our own home. I researched several tiny home builders and settled on Holy Ground Tiny Homes in Englewood, CO. They were a good fit as cost, the quick turnaround, and most of all, their non profit mission was perfect for us. I loved their (supposed) mission and that was my deciding factor.

I went into the warehouse and met the owner, Matt Sowash and his team along with my mom and grandma. It was an exciting time. I was able to get a loan for the cost of the home, and paid $64,000 in full. I was promised my tiny home to be delivered in eight weeks. I spent extensive time with the Holy Ground team, working out the floor plan, choosing the interior design, and setting up the plans for the property I would have my home on. Everything was in place for Bella and I. All seemed to be on target, legit and good to go.

A week before it was to be completed, I came to Denver to meet with them again and see how the house was coming along, only to be told that there were issues with getting the trailer and my house had not even been started. This was the first lie.

Bella and I had been “car camping” as we were waiting for our home to be built. We had left our rented home at the end of July, as the landlord was selling the home. We thought we would be without a home for just a month. This was quite a blow to know it had not been started and would now be at least another month to wait for it to be built. It was especially worrisome knowing the winter was coming.

Not long after that, we learned of news articles about people not getting their homes from Holy Ground. My stepfather and I went back in mid September and asked for a refund. I wanted the house or the money back. I was told that they do not offer a refund. After about an hour, the team agreed to write me a letter that said I would have the house on Oct. 14 (1.5 months after I was originally supposed to receive it) or my money back. I was so hopeful and had faith that that would indeed happen. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. On October 7th I received a bankruptcy notice. Since, I have learned so much about Holy Ground Tiny Homes and my heart just breaks. I am not the only one who has been scammed by Matt Sowash and the Holy Ground Tiny Homes. After the calls with the bankruptcy lawyers and Matt being under oath, I now understand the reality of it all and that my money and the hope of receiving the tiny home will not come to fruition.

Any assets that he has will go to his secured creditors and lawyers first and the approximately 200 home buyers that paid but never received the home, will receive nothing. Over $6 million is owed back. The reality has hit and all my hard work, the dream for a home for Bella, now 4, and I were lost.

I continue to work, devoting my energy to pay off that loan. From July 2022 to December 2022, I have paid back $13,200. Earning money for rent on top of the loan payment, which I had financially planned to be my home payment, childcare and life’s expenses is far more than I can keep up with as a single mom.

I am humbled to share this, as I have always been independent, working endlessly to take care of my responsibilities. The choice to purchase this tiny home is 100% my responsibility therefore, asking for support is really hard for me, but since I will never see that home, I do not have another choice.

At this point, I still owe $50,800. Any help with this would be immensely appreciated. One day, I know I will be at a point where we will have a home and we will be stable and please know I too will pay it forward. Thank you for considering helping Bella and I pay off this loan, any amount helps and I would be forever grateful.

Below you will find the links for the Fox 31 Problem Solvers news report where I am featured and a few (of many) articles about the situation.

Fox 31 Problem Solvers

NBC NEWS

Business Insider

Thank you so much! Whatever you can do to support, like, a share, or a donation), all is appreciated.

With gratitude,

Samara