The Department of Justice has begun investigating The Meadow, a residential development in Josephine near Plano that was originally called EPIC City. The inquiry follows a request from Senator John Cornyn, who cited concerns about potential religious discrimination and alleged violations of federal housing law. "I am grateful to Attorney General Bondi and the Department of Justice for hearing my concerns and opening an investigation into the proposed EPIC City development in North Texas," Cornyn said in a statement.
The project, a 402-acre planned community, was designed by the East Plano Islamic Center, North Texas's largest mosque. Original blueprints, unveiled in a since-deleted YouTube video in October 2024, called for 1,000 homes, a K-12 religious school, a mosque, and retail space. Marketing materials described it as "a meticulously designed community that brings Islam to the forefront." The development quickly became the target of social media criticism, with detractors labeling it a "Sharia city" and drawing the attention of state political leaders.
The project has faced multiple investigations and legal challenges over the past year. In March 2025, Governor Greg Abbott announced that a dozen state agencies were investigating the development, citing concerns about potential violations of state and federal law. Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a civil investigation into Community Capital Partners, the entity contracted to develop the community. State authorities pursued inquiries into possible fraud and unlicensed funeral services.
A core issue has been allegations of housing discrimination. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in housing based on religion, race, gender, nationality, and familial status. Critics alleged the developers planned to restrict home ownership to Muslims. The project's website stated it would limit sales to "persons we believe will contribute to the overall makeup of our community," language that raised fair housing concerns. Project leaders denied discriminatory intent, with a representative telling media outlets that the community was "open" and "welcoming people of all backgrounds and diversity."
In September 2025, the Texas Workforce Commission settled a Fair Housing Act complaint against the developers. The agreement required Community Capital Partners leadership to complete fair housing training and revise marketing materials to eliminate discriminatory language. However, the settlement stated the firm admitted no wrongdoing.
In January 2026, the developers announced the project would proceed under a new name, The Meadow, and stated it would allow multiple houses of worship and be open to anyone legally eligible to purchase property. The following month, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity launched its own investigation, citing complaints about religious discrimination in marketing materials. HUD Secretary Scott Turner stated the agency would not tolerate "illegal religious or national origin discrimination in housing."
Construction has never begun, though the legal disputes continue. In April 2026, a Texas judge ruled in favor of the developers, ordering a state agency to honor a prior fair housing compliance agreement. State officials indicated they plan to appeal the decision.
