LAWMAKERS ARE RESPONDING TO THE NATIONAL ATTENTION ON A NEW COMMUNITY IN ARKANSAS IS GETTING ITS 160 ACRES IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THAT STATE, CALLED RETURN TO LAND. THE CATCH? IT’S WHITES ONLY. AND THAT’S BY DESIGN. WE ARE FOR EUROPEAN HERITAGE. THAT’S OUR HISTORY. THAT’S WHERE WE COME FROM. WE WANT TO PERPETUATE THAT. I THINK THAT’S VERY NATURAL. I THINK ALL LIFE BASICALLY WANTS TO PERPETUATE WHAT IT IS. SO WE’RE TRYING TO DO THAT. AND IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT ARE YOU WHITE OR NOT? IT’S ALSO DO YOU SHARE TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN VALUES. AND ALSO IF YOU WANT TO LIVE HERE WITH US, DO YOU GET ALONG WITH US? THE PRESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY SAYS THERE ARE ABOUT THREE DOZEN PEOPLE LIVING HERE, AND THEY HAVE TO BE MORE SEEM TO BE APPLYING RIGHT NOW. YOU DO HAVE TO BE ACCEPTED TO LIVE THERE. AND THERE’S AN APPLICATION PROCESS, INCLUDING A QUESTIONNAIRE AND AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. THE LEGALITY OF THE CAMPUS THAT’S STILL BEING DEBATED. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE, THOUGH, MIGHT SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING AS. RACISM? SURE. OF COURSE. BUT I ALSO DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT RACISM IS. THE CONCEPT HAS SHIFTED OVER THE YEARS. IF RACISM IS HATING OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE, I WOULD SAY WE’RE NOT RACIST. IF RACISM IS VALUING YOUR RACIAL HERITAGE AND WANTING TO PERPETUATE IT, WELL THEN BY THAT DEFINITION, YEAH, WE’RE RACIST. IT VIOLATES THE 14TH AMENDMENT EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE. IT VIOLATES 42 U.S.C. SECTION 1982 OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, BECAUSE THOSE LAWS SAID THAT ANYBODY ENJOY THE SAME RIGHTS TO OWN, SELL, POSSESS LAND AS ENJOYED BY WHITE CITIZENS. THIS RETURN TO THE LAND ORGANIZATION IS ACTIVELY LOOKING INTO BRINGING COMMUNITIES LIKE THIS TO PENNSYLVANIA, SPECIFICALLY IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE. BUT THERE’S NEW LEGISLATION SET TO MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH HARRISBURG TO FULLY MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS ILLEGAL IN THE KEYSTONE STATE. PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE BEN WAXMAN AGREES WITH THAT ATTORNEY, AND THAT THIS IS A VIOLATION OF FAIR HOUSING LAWS. HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THERE’S CLARIFICATION UNDER THE PENNSYLVANIA HUMAN RELATIONS ACT THAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE EXEMPT FROM DENYING HOUSING BASED ON
PA lawmaker pushes to stop ‘whites-only’ communities as controversial group in AK plans to expand
Updated: 11:01 AM EST Nov 19, 2025
Pennsylvania lawmakers are addressing the national attention surrounding a new “whites-only” community in Arkansas. The community is called “Return to Land,” and it spans 160 acres in the northeast part of the state. “We are for European Heritage. That’s our history. That’s where we come from. We want to perpetuate that. I think that’s very natural. I think all life basically wants to perpetuate what it is, so we’re trying to do that.” Eric Orwoll, the community’s president, said. “It’s not all about are you’re white or not, it’s also, do you share traditional values, and whether you want to live with us here, do you get along with us?”Orwoll tells WGAL’s sister station, KHOG, that about three dozen people reside in the community, with more applicants seeking to join. Prospective residents must undergo an application process, which includes a questionnaire and an interview with the board of trustees. Is it legal?The legality of the campus is still under debate. When asked about perceptions of racism, the community president said, “Sure. Of course. But I also don’t know exactly what racism is. The concept has shifted over the years. If racism is hating other groups of people, I would say we’re not racist. If racism is valuing your racial heritage and wanting to perpetuate it, well then by that definition, yeah, we’re racist.”An attorney noted, “It violates the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause. It violates 42 U.S.C. Section 1982 on the Civil Rights Act because those laws say that anybody enjoys the same rights to own, sell or possess land as enjoyed by white citizens.” The “Return to Land” organization is actively exploring the possibility of establishing similar communities in Pennsylvania, specifically in the Appalachian region, according to their website. Lawmakers push to stop white nationalist house developmentsIn response, new legislation is set to be introduced to make such communities illegal in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia Democratic Rep. Ben Waxman agrees with the attorney that this is a violation of fair housing laws. Waxman wants to ensure clarification under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act that organizations cannot deny housing based on race, color, national origin, or ancestry, according to the memo. “Although the Return to the Land organization’s housing development was in Arkansas, the group’s website notes plans for expansion into two Appalachian regions that would cover parts of Pennsylvania,” Waxman stated in the memo. “It is critical that we strengthen existing law to prevent Return to the Land and other organizations from taking advantage of legal loopholes to develop discriminatory housing.”See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
Pennsylvania lawmakers are addressing the national attention surrounding a new “whites-only” community in Arkansas.
The community is called “Return to Land,” and it spans 160 acres in the northeast part of the state.
“We are for European Heritage. That’s our history. That’s where we come from. We want to perpetuate that. I think that’s very natural. I think all life basically wants to perpetuate what it is, so we’re trying to do that.” Eric Orwoll, the community’s president, said. “It’s not all about are you’re white or not, it’s also, do you share traditional values, and whether you want to live with us here, do you get along with us?”
Orwoll tells WGAL’s sister station, KHOG, that about three dozen people reside in the community, with more applicants seeking to join.
Prospective residents must undergo an application process, which includes a questionnaire and an interview with the board of trustees.
Is it legal?
The legality of the campus is still under debate.
When asked about perceptions of racism, the community president said, “Sure. Of course. But I also don’t know exactly what racism is. The concept has shifted over the years. If racism is hating other groups of people, I would say we’re not racist. If racism is valuing your racial heritage and wanting to perpetuate it, well then by that definition, yeah, we’re racist.”
An attorney noted, “It violates the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause. It violates 42 U.S.C. Section 1982 on the Civil Rights Act because those laws say that anybody enjoys the same rights to own, sell or possess land as enjoyed by white citizens.”
The “Return to Land” organization is actively exploring the possibility of establishing similar communities in Pennsylvania, specifically in the Appalachian region, according to their website.
Lawmakers push to stop white nationalist house developments
In response, new legislation is set to be introduced to make such communities illegal in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Democratic Rep. Ben Waxman agrees with the attorney that this is a violation of fair housing laws. Waxman wants to ensure clarification under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act that organizations cannot deny housing based on race, color, national origin, or ancestry, according to the memo.
“Although the Return to the Land organization’s housing development was in Arkansas, the group’s website notes plans for expansion into two Appalachian regions that would cover parts of Pennsylvania,” Waxman stated in the memo. “It is critical that we strengthen existing law to prevent Return to the Land and other organizations from taking advantage of legal loopholes to develop discriminatory housing.”
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.