Matthew Pohlson, the Californian CEO of Omaze, has said that Nimbyism in Britain is preventing the construction of high-quality homes, leaving too few properties for the company’s monthly prize draws. Pohlson, 47, explained that the trend is forcing wealthy families to remain in the same properties for generations and suggested he may start building Omaze-style homes himself to meet demand. Omaze, founded in the US in 2012 and expanded to Britain in 2020, runs raffles for multi-million-pound houses and donates a portion of proceeds to charity, recently surpassing £100 million in contributions.
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Pohlson told The Telegraph: “Nimbyism makes it so hard to build now. That’s happening all over the world. People don’t let go of these houses. We need to be building more homes.” The company considers around 1,000 properties each year, ultimately offering 12 for the raffle. Many are rejected due to local bylaws, including one property that required allowing an annual carnival on the land. Despite these obstacles, Pohlson said the team remains committed to finding suitable houses for their entrants.
The entrepreneur, who grew up in an upper-middle-class family in Laguna Niguel, California, explained that the idea for Omaze came from attending celebrity charity auctions. After moving the focus to Britain, where home ownership is culturally significant, Pohlson emphasised that improving living standards is a universal human desire. Omaze aims to combine luxury with a social purpose, donating at least £1 million per draw to UK charities, from the British Heart Foundation to local foodbanks. Past winners include a formerly homeless nurse and a couple living in a cramped flat.
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Pohlson refuted concerns that winners cannot afford the homes, noting that each receives £250,000 cash alongside fully furnished properties. He described himself as frugal, renting a modest flat in Holborn and cycling to meetings, in contrast to the mostly upper-class entrants of his raffles. While some winners have experienced minor issues with their properties, Omaze insists these are standard across the UK housing market and does not affect the life-changing nature of the prizes.
