https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/a57d30efe01da9485b73be02e7e67926.jpg 730aa3acbbd02c650db737459f5d5b6a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Michigan Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. An Islamic group named Adam explored several properties over a five year span in order to develop an Islamic center. The Zoning Board of Appeals for the city of Troy, Michigan denied the variances that Adam requested for their community center. As a result, the DOJ began an investigation into Troy’s zoning practices and filed a lawsuit against Troy. The Michigan division of CAIR also filed a lawsuit on behalf of Adam Both of these lawsuits are ongoing. Date 2018-cont. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 3635 Rochester Road, Troy, MI 48083 Proposed Project Islamic center Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Adam Community Center Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Mi_08 Location The location of the interview Troy, MI Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance administrative denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications rejected (legal action ongoing) Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Adam Community Center (“Adam”) is a community of Sunni Muslims in Troy, Michigan. For seven years, the group has struggled to get their projects approved by the city. In 2013, a real estate company purchased a former restaurant and planned to develop it into a community center for Adam. At a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, however, city officials designated the proposed project as a “place of worship” and the seller of the property accepted a different offer (Troy BZA minutes 2013). In 2017, the Adam Community Center approached the City of Troy with a list of several different properties in order to be advised on which ones may be best suited for development. Allegedly, the city refused to assist Adam and advised them to look for properties in neighboring cities (United States if America v. City of Troy, Michigan). *A year later, Adam had entered a preliminary agreement to purchase their current property. In order to develop this property and use it as a place of worship, Adam requested variances at a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Unanimously, the Zoning Board of Appeals rejected Adam’s request for variances. The rejection of these variances caused the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to file a lawsuit on behalf of Adam in the Eastern District of Michigan. The complaint, which was filed in November of 2018, outlines numerous allegations of Troy’s discriminatory behavior, including an instance where Adam attempted to purchase an existing church, but residents of Troy learned about the purchase and brought in Christian investors to buy out the church from under Adam (Adam Community Center v. City of Troy). The lawsuit accuses Troy of violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) on three counts: depriving Adam of their religious exercise by imposing a substantial burden, discrimination on the basis of religion, and imposing unequal restrictions against religious institutions (Adam Community Center v. City of Troy).* In response to this lawsuit, the City of Troy requested a dismissal, which was rejected by a federal judge. In 2019, the United States Department of Justice also filed a lawsuit against Troy. The suit outlines similar allegations against Troy, but only alleges that Troy violated RLUIPA on two counts: imposing a substantial burden on Adam and imposing unequal restrictions against religious institutions. The DOJ’s lawsuit makes no mention of discrimination on the basis of religion. This is likely because it is more difficult to prove religious discrimination in a court of law. Both lawsuits are still ongoing as of June 2020. Last Updated Date revised. July 2, 2020 Year Year the case began. 2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Troy, MI Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. MI_08, occurring in Troy, MI, 48083 from 2018 to present Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stewart Zelnick Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA)