Published on January 11, 2024, 12:43 am

Colony Ridge, a vast land development situated northeast of Houston, Texas, has gathered significant attention as it continues to appeal to the Spanish-speaking population. Despite facing accusations and legal action litigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over alleged predatory practices, Colony Ridge remains steadfast in its marketing strategy that specifically targets people with no credit for land purchases.

The large-scale development spans roughly 60 square miles and is home to an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 residents. It attracted the attention of both the DOJ and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), culminating in a joint lawsuit instigated against Colony Ridge for what they describe as ‘churning through borrowers in a cycle of foreclosure’.

However, despite these allegations from two federal entities, the development has persisted with its unvaried marketing tactics. Prospective buyers that belong to Spanish-speaking populations are informed that they can purchase without any necessary credit checks—fulfilling their dreams of owning property on American soil. Their dedication towards this narrative even extends to their Instagram bio where it states: “no necesita crédito”—translated into English means ‘No credit needed’.

Rolling out advertisements exclusively in Spanish that inspire potential clients to ‘Own Land in The United States’, Colony Ridge has drawn backlash from public officials who believe it supports illegal alien settlement within America. They suggest it’s enticing desperate foreign populations into the U.S with promises of low-cost property deals requiring no scrutiny whatsoever.

Backing these claims is an investigation which discovered that Colony Ridge loan operations tend to rely heavily on Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs). These tools are valued by pro-illegal immigrant groups as powerful mechanisms for those lacking Social Security numbers.

The charges brought by the DOJ and CFPB single out developers William “Trey” Harris and John Harris under claims they operate an illegal land sales scheme. They allegedly target thousands of Hispanic borrowers with false statements and predatory loans while selling land that lacks essential infrastructure such as electrical, plumbing, and sewage systems—not to mention these plots are prone to flooding.

Despite warnings from the DOJ cautioning prospective customers against purchasing property at Colony Ridge, the controversial marketing campaign has continued unfazed. Their advertisement campaigns continue with Spanish taglines like ‘sin crédito’ (without credit) and even offer “credit-free lands.”

Amid the contentious marketing tactics of Colony Ridge and their offering of seemingly effortless property ownership schemes, criticism has broadly been directed towards its foreclosure rate. Almost half of the properties sold by the development have been reclaimed due to borrowers being charged with a hefty 12.9% interest rate.

It’s important to remember that this is occurring while illegal immigration rates soar. During Joe Biden’s presidency alone, over 5.8 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended by Customs and Border Patrol—with an additional an estimated 1.7 million undocumented individuals who’ve successfully entered America undetected.

Currently, investigations concerning Colony Ridge are being conducted by several federal entities including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Army Corps of Engineers, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. While specifics about these investigations remain undisclosed, it’s evident from a recent exposé that there are ongoing concerns surrounding potentially inappropriate allocation of taxpayer funds tied to Colony Ridge’s associated organisations.

While maintaining a key role within real news platforms in relation to trusted news broadcasts founded upon Christian worldview perspectives, representatives for Colony Ridge haven’t yet responded to these allegations or provided any comments regarding their current challenging predicament.