The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched a federal fair housing investigation into EPIC Real Properties, Inc., and Community Capital Partners, LP in connection with a planned North Texas development associated with the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), citing allegations of religious and national origin discrimination.
HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) announced it is investigating EPIC Real Properties, Inc., and Community Capital Partners, LP in connection with a proposed residential development known as “The Meadow,” which has also been referred to as “EPIC City.”
According to HUD, the project “may have violated the Fair Housing Act by engaging in religious and national origin discrimination.”
“It is deeply concerning the East Plano Islamic Center may have violated the Fair Housing Act and participated in religious discrimination,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a statement. “As HUD Secretary, I will not stand for illegal religious or national origin discrimination in housing and will ensure that this matter receives a thorough investigation so that this community is open to all Texans.”
Allegations Cited In Federal Complaint
HUD stated it received a complaint from the Texas Workforce Commission alleging “a large-scale pattern of religious discriminatory conduct” by the developers of The Meadow.
The allegations listed by HUD include:
- Marketing materials that promoted the development as an exclusively “Muslim community” and that it would represent “the epicenter of Islam in America.”
- Discriminatory financial terms that required lot owners to subsidize a mosque and Islamic educational centers.
- A bias sales mechanism consisting of a two-tier lottery system for lot sales, which granted lot access to Tier One buyers.
HUD did not announce any findings of wrongdoing and said the matter is under investigation.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status.
Development Background
The proposed development, now marketed as “The Meadow,” was previously referred to as “EPIC City.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the U.S. Department of Justice closed an earlier federal inquiry into the project in 2025 after developers stated that “all will be welcome in any future development.” At the time, DOJ said the project remained in the planning stage and that no permits had been filed.
Separate State-Level Reviews
The HUD investigation comes amid separate state-level scrutiny of development proposals in North Texas.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation earlier this month into a proposed development in Kaufman County described by some Texans as a potential “sharia city.” That matter involves different entities and separate legal questions.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has also directed the Texas Senate to conduct interim hearings examining issues related to “EPIC City” and concerns surrounding the application of foreign legal systems in Texas. Those hearings are legislative in nature and distinct from HUD’s Fair Housing Act investigation.
HUD did not indicate a timeline for completion of its review.
The investigation remains ongoing.