Settlement Reached in Fair Housing Act Complaint Against EPIC City Developers
The Texas Workforce Commission has settled a Fair Housing Act complaint against the developers of EPIC City, a planned Muslim-centric community northeast of Dallas.
The state agency reached a settlement with developer Community Capital Partners on Tuesday, according to documents the firm provided to The Dallas Morning News. Emails sent to the Texas Workforce Commission were not immediately returned.
Related
The agreement resolves issues alleged in the complaint, and the dismissal letter states that Community Capital Partners admits no wrongdoing.
Background on the Complaint
The complaint was filed against Community Capital Partners, the developer of EPIC City, a planned community that will feature over 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, elderly and assisted living, apartments, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports fields.
The Texas Workforce Commission is the entity responsible for enforcing the Fair Housing Act in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott announced in March that the commission was investigating the East Plano Islamic Center and any affiliated entities for potential fair housing violations.
Terms of the Settlement
As part of the settlement, Community Capital Partners leadership must complete a fair housing training program. The firm must review and revise marketing and sales materials to ensure they are nondiscriminatory.
Community Capital Partners is also required to develop and implement fair housing policies. The procedures must be reviewed and approved by the Texas Workforce Commission.
The settlement states the firm must cease using any applicant assessment criteria that is not “objective, uniformly applied, and directly related to business necessity.” The agreement forbids the use of any criteria as a pretext for religious or national origin discrimination.
Next Steps for EPIC City
Community Capital Partners will provide a variety of documents and reports to the state agency for the next five years. The firm said it is moving forward with plans for its master-planned development across 402 acres in Collin and Hunt counties.
EPIC City is expected to feature more than 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, elderly and assisted living, apartments, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports fields just outside the town of Josephine, about 40 minutes northeast of downtown Dallas.
Statement from Community Capital Partners
“Community Capital Partners is pleased that the Texas Workforce Commission has closed their review of our proposed development,” Imran Chaudhary, the firm’s president, said in a statement. “We welcomed the opportunity to take a deep dive into the Fair Housing Act, and we have identified ways to make our master-planned community stronger and more diverse. Truly, it would be beneficial for everyone building a mixed-use project in Texas to have this review and guidance from TWC.”
Previous Investigations and Controversies
This is the second investigation tied to the EPIC City development that’s been dismissed. The U.S. Department of Justice ended a civil rights investigation in June.
Abbott previously said a dozen state agencies are investigating “potential illegal activities conducted by EPIC and its affiliated entities.” The dismissal comes just days after Abbott ceremonially signed a new law in Fairview last week that he said has banned “Sharia compounds” and targets the business structure behind EPIC City.
Abbott alleged the developers were violating religious freedom laws by trying to use religion as a form of “segregation.” EPIC City’s developers have said the only laws they will impose will be Texas and federal ones.
“What [Abbott]’s proposing is fine. What he’s saying we intended to do is a lie and a falsehood,” Dan Cogdell, an attorney representing the EPIC mosque and EPIC City developers, told The Dallas Morning News Friday. “It’s nauseating to my very core that an elected official of the state of Texas — the highest elected official of the state of Texas — is lying to Texans.”
Conclusion
The settlement between the Texas Workforce Commission and Community Capital Partners marks a significant step forward for the development of EPIC City. The firm has committed to adhering to the Fair Housing Act and ensuring that the community is open to members of all religions.
As the development moves forward, it is essential to remember the importance of fair housing and the need to protect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their religion or background.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: EPIC City is a planned Muslim-centric community northeast of Dallas, featuring over 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, elderly and assisted living, apartments, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports fields.
A: The Fair Housing Act is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status.
A: The complaint alleged that Community Capital Partners was violating the Fair Housing Act by refusing to sell or rent housing to certain groups based on religion or other protected traits.
A: The settlement requires Community Capital Partners to complete a fair housing training program, review and revise marketing and sales materials, develop and implement fair housing policies, and provide documents and reports to the state agency for the next five years.
