‘It’s so heartbreaking’: Hundreds demand answers after losing thousands in California ADU construction fraud

By Carolina Estrada

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    FAIR OAKS, California (KCRA) — Earlier this year, Renee Kumamoto planned to build a small home in her backyard.

She hired the Fair Oaks-based company, Anchored Tiny Homes and paid them $168,000 to build the accessory dwelling unit.

“We refinanced our house at a high interest rate because again, I was on a time frame of my parents’ life schedule,” said Kumamoto.

That construction schedule was based on her father’s battle with cancer.

She hoped to move him into his new home in 2025, but before they could break ground the company unexpectedly shut down.

“Within the time that I sent my last invoice to when they shut down was less than two and a half weeks. This is crazy,” said Kumamoto.

She is one of nearly 1,000 members of a Facebook group with similar stories.

Katie Lucas created the group after she paid the same company $211,000 and was left with an unfinished project.

“It’s so heartbreaking and it makes you feel really helpless,” said Lucas.

KCRA 3 attempted to contact Anchored Tiny Homes, but their phone lines were disconnected.

Their website and social media were also deleted.

“There are people out there that their whole life savings went in, and they lost it,” said Kumamoto.

Kumamoto and Lucas filed complaints.

Katherine White with the California State License Board said they are now investigating.

“We’ve since referred the Anchored Tiny Homes to legal action to revoke their license,” said White.

In the meantime, they ask anyone with similar stories to file a complaint.

“The rest of us are left to figure out how we’re going to take care of our elderly parents or how we’re going to continue when you lose a big chunk of money,” said Kumamoto.

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