Judge Orders Texas Agency to Honor Housing Agreement for Planned Community

Judge Orders Texas Agency to Honor Housing Agreement for Planned Community

Ruling Allows Muslim-Centric Development to Move Forward

Court Issues Injunction Against State Agency

DALLAS — A Travis County judge has ordered the Texas Workforce Commission to comply with a fair housing agreement tied to a planned residential development in North Texas, clearing a path forward for the project.

The 201st District Court issued the injunction Tuesday, requiring the state agency to follow the terms of a September 2025 settlement with Community Capital Partners, the developer behind The Meadow, formerly known as EPIC City.

Developers said the ruling allows them to resume work on the project, including restarting public communications that had been paused during a state review.

Development Plans Move Ahead

The Meadow is a master-planned community spanning about 402 acres in Collin and Hunt counties, near the town of Josephine, northeast of Dallas. Plans call for more than 1,000 homes along with schools, a mosque, apartments, clinics, retail space and recreational facilities.

Community Capital Partners said it will implement the fair housing policies outlined in the settlement and move forward with development plans.

“This ruling confirms what we have maintained from the beginning — that Community Capital Partners has been willing, ready, and committed to following Texas law at every step,” said company president Imran Chaudhary. “We have done nothing wrong, and this decision reflects that.”

Dispute Over Fair Housing Compliance

The conflict centers on a 2025 agreement requiring the developer to work with the Texas Workforce Commission to establish fair housing procedures. The commission enforces the Fair Housing Act in Texas and was responsible for reviewing and approving those policies.

Community Capital Partners filed a lawsuit earlier this year, alleging the agency failed “to acknowledge, evaluate, or advance the fair housing policies” submitted as part of the agreement.

The court’s order directs the commission to follow through on its obligations under the settlement.

Attempts to contact the agency for comment were not immediately successful.

The project has faced multiple legal and regulatory hurdles in recent months. Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed two lawsuits related to the development, and a separate case has blocked a utility district from providing sewer services needed for construction.

A trial in that case is scheduled for November.

Hunt County officials also denied a preliminary plat application for the development, adding another obstacle for the project.

Allegations of Unequal Treatment

Developers and their attorneys have argued the project has been treated differently because of its ties to the Muslim community. Community Capital Partners was formed by members of the East Plano Islamic Center.

Leaders of the group said the state agency’s actions were part of a broader pattern affecting Muslim-led developments.

“For months, state actors attempted to create the impression that this project was operating outside the law, when in reality we were doing exactly what was asked of us,” said civil rights attorney Eric Hudson. “A court made clear that the law applies to state agencies too.”

Investigations Ongoing

Gov. Greg Abbott has directed several state agencies to investigate the project and its affiliated entities for possible fair housing violations. In a December social media post, he said four agencies were still reviewing the development.

Despite the ongoing investigations and legal disputes, the recent court order represents a significant step for the project as developers continue efforts to move forward.