Judge rules Texas must permit 400-acre Muslim city to be built

A Texas judge has ordered a state agency to comply with a fair housing agreement it entered into with the developer of The Meadow, formerly known as Epic City— a planned Muslim community in North Texas that has been at the center of ongoing investigations and litigation, including from Governor Greg Abbott, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and the Department of Justice.

Travis District Court Judge Amy Meachum's order on Tuesday mandates that the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) follow the terms of a settlement it reached with developer Community Capital Partners in September 2025, opening the door for a 402-acre Muslim community that includes more than 1,000 homes, apartment buildings, a K–12 Islamic school, a mosque, health clinics, retail stores, and more.

Earlier this year, Community Capital Partners filed a lawsuit against the TWC for the agency's failure to "acknowledge, evaluate, or advance the fair housing policies" that were approved as part of the settlement, per the Dallas Morning News.

The state of Texas has repeatedly accused the developer of violating its Fair Housing Act, citing that the planned community is for Muslims. 

Imran Chaudhary, president of Community Capital Partners, rejected the state's notion in a statement, saying that it will implement the equitable housing policies that were agreed upon during settlement discussions. "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 Chaudhary, adding that, "We have done nothing wrong, and this decision reflects that."

The Texas Workforce Commission told the local paper that the court's "flawed" decision "overlooks substantial evidence," maintaining its position that developers are violating the Fair Housing Act. "This development remains under active investigation with our federal partners at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. We are taking immediate steps to appeal this decision," the agency said.

The development is located near the town of Josephine, roughly 40 minutes from Dallas, Texas. In March, Gov. Abbott announced that the TWC launched an investigation into the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) and its affiliates for potential fair housing violations. Community Capital Partners was founded by EPIC members, who have shown their support for Sharia law. EPIC is one of the largest mosques in North Texas.

In response to the court ruling, Gov. Abbott asserted that the project "will never see the light of day," citing the federal and state investigations, which remain ongoing.

Attorney General Paxton has filed two lawsuits related to the project.