A Travis County District Court has ordered the Texas Workforce Commission to comply with an agreement it made with the developer of a Muslim-oriented community.<\/p>\n
The Meadow, formerly known as EPIC City, has been repeatedly targeted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and other officials. Civil rights groups claim religious discrimination is behind the attacks on the housing development \u2014 which has not been built. <\/p>\n
The agency and the developer, Community Capital Partners, agreed last fall<\/a> to resolve allegations of fair housing violations against the project. Community Capital Partners sued the Texas Workforce Commission after it sent the commission fair housing policies for the development but didn\u2019t receive any review or response from the agency according to a press release from the developer.<\/p>\n The proposed housing community a 402-acre development in unincorporated Collin and Hunt counties, roughly 40 miles northeast of Dallas near the city of Josephine. The project is years away from construction but has already faced intense scrutiny from\u00a0top Republicans<\/a>\u00a0in the state. Texas officials have accused the development of implementing Sharia Law and creating a no-go zone for non-Muslims, something the developer has repeatedly denied.<\/p>\n Imran Chaudhary, the president of Community Capital Partners, praised the court\u2019s ruling in a press release.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ruling confirms what we have maintained from the beginning \u2014 that Community Capital Partners has been willing, ready, and committed to complying with Texas law at every step,\u201d said CCP President Imran Chaudhary. \u201cWe have acted in good faith throughout this process, and today\u2019s decision reflects that.\u201d<\/p>\n KERA reached out to the Texas Workforce Commission for comment but hasn\u2019t heard back yet.<\/p>\n The Texas Workforce Commission\u2019s lack of response was more than routine delays, said Eric Hudson, a civil rights attorney for the developer. Hudson accused the agency of discriminating against the project because of its Muslim affiliation.<\/p>\n \u201cFor months, state actors created the impression that this project was operating outside the law. When in reality, CCP was doing exactly what was required,\u201d he said. \u201cToday\u2019s ruling makes clear that the law applies equally to state agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at\u00a0clove@kera.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n