LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas — In the dense, damp forests northeast of Houston, a pair of brothers hit on a viable real estate business model: Offer plots of cheap land and unconventional loans for people who wanted to build their own houses, with few restrictions. The concept took off, not least among the large population of immigrants lacking permanent legal status in Texas, who often do not have the legal paperwork needed for most bank loans. The Colony Ridge community, whose first residents moved i

In the dense, damp forests northeast of Houston, a pair of brothers hit on a viable real estate business model: Offer plots of cheap land and unconventional loans for people who wanted to build their own houses, with few restrictions.

The concept took off, not least among the large population of immigrants lacking permanent legal status in Texas, who often do not have the legal paperwork needed for most bank loans.

The Colony Ridge community, whose first residents moved in a decade ago, is now home to 40,000 people or more, with plans to more than double in size.

Over the years, its swift growth and predominantly Hispanic population drew opposition from the mostly white residents of a small nearby town and some local officials, who lodged complaints and filed lawsuits. Opponents spray-painted “Build that wall” on one of the developer’s billboards after Donald Trump’s election. One sent a desiccated chicken foot — and a note describing a voodoo hex — as a warning to the county judge.

But with a new wave of migrants arriving at the southern border in recent weeks, the sprawling development has become a lightning rod for conservatives in the state and highlighted a growing tension within the Republican Party: those who focus on business freedom and others determined to control the border.

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    Harris invited lawmakers, and state officials including Abbott, to tour the development Thursday and said 15 to 20 had accepted the invitation. Abbott — whose campaigns have received $1.4 million in donations from Harris since 2018 — was not among them. An Abbott spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Harris said he was not sure if his development will be included on the special session’s call, but that he was working on gathering facts that refute the allegations to send to lawmakers.

    “When they see that, this whole thing might just go away,” he said.

    He said he believes that Abbott is “a good guy” who made a mistake by not gathering information before talking about the development publicly.

    “I think he’s gonna know he made a mistake when the facts come out about what’s really going on here,” he said. “I’m curious to see how he reacts when he finds out he’s got egg on his face.”

    https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/04/texas-colony-ridge-immigration-developer/