SHARP COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Arkansas Attorney General’s office is reviewing the controversial whites-only community Return to the Land but has not found any current violations of state or federal law, officials said.
Legal loopholes keep white-only settlement operating
Return to the Land (RTTL), the group’s 160-acre land association near Ravenden, was founded in 2023 by Eric Orwoll and Peter Csereby.
RTTL describes itself as a community exclusively for white Christians, explicitly excluding Jewish people, LGBTQ individuals and followers of non-European religions.
Prospective residents undergo interviews and ancestry checks before buying property. Orwoll said RTTL plans to support homeschool groups, healthcare networks and legal advocacy.
The group offers land for purchase through an LLC structure tied to individual plots, claiming this model, alongside its designation as a Private Members Association (PMA), exempts it from anti-discrimination laws such as the Fair Housing Act.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said his office is reviewing whether RTTL’s practices violate state or federal law.”
“Racism has no place in a free society, but from a legal perspective, we have not seen anything that would indicate any state or federal laws have been broken,” Griffin’s office said on July
RTTL gave the following statement to KNWA/FOX24 in response to Griffin:
“Return to the Land is a private association. All of our activities are lawful, and we do not engage in political activism or sell real estate. Recent media reports have included dubious and unverified claims about our activities.”
A whites-only community could be coming to Missouri
Group plans expansion throughout the Ozarks
Orwoll said he hopes to expand RTTL nationwide, with a particular focus on the Ozarks and Appalachian regions. RTTL told KNWA/FOX24 the Ozarks appeal due to its conservative culture, low crime rates and what the group considers “favorable” demographics.
The group said the appeal of Arkansas and Missouri in particular are that they “are ‘red states’ with legislators that respect homeschooling, Christian values and the 2nd Amendment.”
RTTL recently expressed interest in creating a community in Missouri, outside of Springfield, calling the Show Me State a “great state”
When KNWA/FOX24 asked about Northwest Arkansas, RTTL said, “We aren’t interested; it’s a very liberal area, and we like to let them have their safe spaces.”
However, when asked about the River Valley area, the group said “Maybe. It seems like a nice area.”
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