EPIC City, Texas

EPIC City is a master-planned Islamic community-centered residential development project in Texas, situated approximately 40 minutes from Dallas near the town of Josephine. The initiative spans 402 acres across unincorporated portions of Collin and Hunt counties, and was initiated by the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC).
Since its announcement in 2024, the project has generated both significant interest from potential residents and controversy from political figures and social media commentators.
EPIC City is a development project initiated by the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) to be managed through its specially created entity, Community Capital Partners. Imran Chaudhary, who was previously the mosque's president of its board of directors, holds the position of executive officer and director of the Community Capital Partners business. The proposed community is designed to feature over 1,000 residential units, along with a mosque, a K–12 faith-based school, a community college, and commercial shopping facilities. According to organizational representatives, the East Plano Islamic Center will receive all profits generated by the development. The leadership team of Community Capital Partners consists of volunteers who reportedly will not receive compensation for their work on the project.
The development plan also expanded to include two additional projects called EPIC Ranches One and Two. EPIC Ranch One is planned to be a roughly 110 acre project approximately half a mile from the main EPIC City development, containing 70 residential lots ranging from one to five acres. EPIC Ranch Two is planned to be a roughly 90-acre site located within a mile from the main EPIC City development, containing 60 half-acre residential lots and 27 upscale townhome lots.
EPIC resident scholar Yasir Qadhi described the community as a "Muslim neighborhood" that would remain "well integrated" within the broader community. Project representatives emphasized that the development aims to create a "diverse and inclusive" community where people of various backgrounds can coexist harmoniously. To reserve lots in the main EPIC City development, investors must purchase an $80,000 share in Community Capital Partners, which will later be credited toward a home lot purchase. For EPIC Ranches properties, investors must provide $30,000 in earnest money to secure a lot.
The EPIC City project was publicly launched in 2024, resulting in more than 500 lots being reserved within days of the project's reveal.
As of February 2025, the EPIC City project remained in the planning and development phase, with finalized proposals still pending. On February 14, 2025 the EPIC Ranches One and Two were announced as an extension of the original proposal.
While some property owners from neighboring areas indicated plans to relocate due to the anticipated changes to the area's rural character, others have noted potential benefits from increased property values. According to local reports, several property values in the area have potentially doubled since the announcement of EPIC City.
The announcement of the project sparked controversy and multiple political responses. On February 24, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott publicly expressed opposition to the development, sharing concerns on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Abbott specifically stated: "To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are 'no go zones' which this project seems to imply." The governor's comments were in response to characterizations of the project as a "402-Acre Sharia City" by conservative commentator Amy Mek, though no public statements from the project organizers had overtly referenced implementing Sharia law or creating governance structures separate from existing U.S. laws.
In response to the controversy, Community Capital Partners issued a statement affirming their commitment to comply with the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on protected characteristics, including religion. The developers stated they would not impose "blanket bans on any group of people" but would conduct "thorough individualized assessments of prospective buyers" to ensure alignment with community goals of "safety and security."
Project representative Yasir Qadhi emphasized that EPIC City was not intended to be isolated from the wider community, stating: "We are not forming a cult. We're not forming big barriers between the rest of society. We're going to be giving back to this state and this country, and we're going to be showing what it means to be a Muslim neighborhood." The developers modified language on their website after questions from media, removing text that had indicated sales would be limited to "persons we believe will contribute to the overall makeup of our community."
Local residents expressed concerns primarily related to infrastructure and environmental impacts rather than religious or cultural aspects of the development. Key concerns included increased traffic on narrow rural roads, environmental impacts on local ecosystems and wildlife, prominent construction-related noises and disruption, and additional strain on local resources and services.
In April 2025, Gov. Abbott launched multiple state investigations of EPIC, temporarily halting any construction from going forward. Many in the Islamic community believe these investigations are unfair, politically motivated and based on negative stereotypes of Muslims.