La Salle Parish (officially spelled LaSalle Parish without a space per U.S. Census usage, though the parish courthouse sign uses “La Salle”) is a rural central Louisiana parish covering 659 square miles of predominantly forested terrain along the Kisatchie Hills. Created in 1910 from the western portion of Catahoula Parish, the parish is named for René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle — the French explorer who in 1682 canoed the entire Mississippi River from the mouth of the Illinois River to the Gulf of Mexico, claimed the vast basin for France, and gave the territory the name Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV. La Salle was assassinated in 1687 during a later expedition to the Gulf Coast. The parish seat is Jena (pronounced JEE-nuh), a town of approximately 4,100 residents whose name traces back through Jena, Illinois to Jena, Germany. The parish’s economy has historically rested on three pillars: the timber industry (pioneered by conservationist Henry E. Hardtner, who founded the town of Urania and was the first to practice systematic reforestation in the American South), oil and gas extraction (Olla oil fields established 1938), and agriculture.
La Salle Parish’s population of approximately 14,700 is declining slightly, and its rental market is correspondingly small — concentrated primarily in Jena and secondarily in Olla, Tullos, and the unincorporated communities along US-84 and US-165. All landlord-tenant matters are governed by the Louisiana Civil Code (Arts. 2668–2729) and Code of Civil Procedure (Arts. 4701–4735). Louisiana is a landlord-friendly state: 5-day eviction notice for nonpayment (no cure right), no security deposit maximum, no rent control, and no tenant right to withhold rent. Evictions are filed in the La Salle Parish District Court (28th Judicial District) in Jena.
La Salle Parish District Court — 28th Judicial District, Jena
La Salle Parish Landlord Rules & Louisiana Law
Louisiana Civil Code & Code of Civil Procedure provisions applied to La Salle Parish’s rural timber-and-corrections economy
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Details
La Salle Parish Rental Market: Rural Stability
La Salle Parish’s rental market is small and concentrated primarily in Jena, with secondary demand in Olla, Tullos, and the US-84/US-165 corridor communities. The parish’s economy is anchored by four relatively stable sectors: timber harvesting and processing (the industry that shaped the parish since the early 1900s), oil and gas extraction (Olla oil fields, 1938), healthcare (LaSalle General Hospital, a 60-bed facility with 24-hour emergency department and nursing home), and the corrections sector. The LaSalle Detention Center — an ICE immigration detention facility operated by the GEO Group northwest of Jena with capacity exceeding 1,160 detainees — and the LaSalle Correctional Center in Olla generate stable employment for guards, healthcare workers, and support staff who form a meaningful segment of the rental tenant pool. Median household income in Jena is approximately $71,730 — above the state average — driven in part by the corrections and oil/gas employment base. Median rent is approximately $906/month, and the median property value in Jena is approximately $144,000, making this one of Louisiana’s more genuinely affordable rural markets.
Eviction Process: 5-Day Notice & Rule for Possession
For nonpayment of rent or lease violations, the landlord serves a written 5-day notice to vacate. Louisiana does not require landlords to give tenants an opportunity to pay past-due rent or cure a lease violation — the notice is solely a notice to leave. Delivery: hand to tenant or adult resident, post on the door, or mail. If the tenant does not vacate within 5 days, the landlord files a Rule for Possession in the La Salle Parish District Court (28th Judicial District) in Jena. A hearing is typically set within 10–14 days of filing. If the landlord prevails, a Writ of Possession is issued and the sheriff executes the removal if the tenant does not vacate voluntarily. The entire process typically takes 10–42 days. Note: Louisiana eviction courts award only possession — they do not award monetary damages. Claims for unpaid rent or wrongfully withheld deposits must be pursued in a separate civil action.
Security Deposits
Louisiana has no statutory maximum on security deposits. The deposit must be returned within one month after lease termination, with an itemized written statement of any deductions. Permitted deductions: unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear. No Louisiana law requires deposits to be held in a separate bank account or to earn interest. Best practice is to maintain deposits separately from operating funds to avoid accounting disputes. Non-refundable fees (pet fees, cleaning fees) are permissible in Louisiana if clearly stated in the lease. Deposit disputes must be pursued in a separate civil action — the eviction court cannot award monetary relief. Provide a written move-in condition statement at the start of every tenancy; in La Salle Parish’s affordable housing market where older homes and mobile homes are common, thorough documentation prevents future disputes over pre-existing damage.
Corrections Workforce Tenants
La Salle Parish’s two detention and corrections facilities — the LaSalle Detention Center (ICE, GEO Group) and the LaSalle Correctional Center (Olla) — collectively employ hundreds of correctional officers, healthcare workers, food service staff, and administrative personnel. These employees, often drawn from across the region, represent a stable, income-verified tenant pool that differs significantly from the marginal-income tenant profile common in many rural Louisiana markets. Corrections-sector tenants typically have steady employment but may relocate with shift changes or contract transitions; lease terms and early termination clauses should be addressed explicitly. Verify current employment status through standard income verification — government contracting positions can change with contract renewals.
Habitability & Rural Maintenance
Under the Louisiana Civil Code (Art. 2691), landlords must deliver and maintain premises fit for the purpose leased. In La Salle Parish’s rural setting, practical habitability considerations include: aging housing stock (Jena’s cost of living index is 80.1 — well below the US average of 100 — reflecting a significant inventory of older, lower-cost housing); mobile homes and manufactured housing (prevalent in rural Louisiana and presenting different maintenance obligations from traditional construction); and limited contractor availability (Jena is roughly 56 miles from Monroe and 103 miles from Baton Rouge, making specialized repairs time-consuming). Tenant repair-and-deduct: if a landlord fails to make necessary repairs within a reasonable time after written notice, the tenant may arrange the repair and deduct the cost (La. Civ. Code Art. 2694). Landlords must provide 24 hours’ notice before non-emergency entry.
Natural Disasters & Lease Provisions
La Salle Parish has experienced 33 presidential disaster declarations, significantly above the national average of 19. The parish’s disaster history includes flooding (12 incidents), hurricanes (10), tropical storms (6), and tornadoes (3). Landlords should verify flood zone status for each property and ensure adequate insurance. Leases should address: tenant obligations during declared disasters (notification, evacuation cooperation, damage documentation), landlord response timelines for storm-related damage, and the Louisiana Civil Code’s provision that if the premises are rendered uninhabitable through no fault of the tenant, the landlord must mitigate damages (La. Rev. Stat. 9:3260).
Louisiana Civil Code & Code of Civil Procedure — landlord rights and eviction procedures applicable in La Salle Parish
⚡ Quick Overview
5
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
5
Days Notice (Violation)
14-30
Avg Total Days
$50-150
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type5-Day Notice to Vacate
Notice Period5 days
Tenant Can Cure?No - Louisiana notices are unconditional. No right to cure by paying rent. However, tenant can negotiate with landlord. Notice can be waived entirely in lease.
Days to Hearing2-7 days
Days to Writ1-3 days
Total Estimated Timeline14-30 days
Total Estimated Cost$100-$400
⚠️ Watch Out
VERY landlord-friendly state. 5-day notice is UNCONDITIONAL - no cure right, tenant must vacate. Notice can be WAIVED in lease - if waived, landlord can file immediately without any notice. No grace period. No statewide late fee cap. No security deposit cap. Tenant gets only 24 hours to appeal after judgment. Lease term notice: 10-day for month-to-month, 30-day for year lease. Do not count weekends/holidays in 5-day period.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Justice of the Peace Court / City Court / District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$50-150).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Louisiana eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Louisiana attorney or local legal aid organization.
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Underground Landlord
🏙️ Communities in La Salle Parish
Towns and communities in central Louisiana’s timber country
Named for René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle — French explorer who in 1682 canoed the entire Mississippi River, claimed the basin for France, and named the territory Louisiana; assassinated 1687. Parish created 1910. Seat: Jena (JEE-nuh), named via Jena, IL after Jena, Germany. Economy: timber, oil & gas, corrections (LaSalle Detention Center, LaSalle Correctional Center). Henry E. Hardtner — “Father of Forestry in the South,” founded Urania, pioneered reforestation. Jena Six civil rights incident (2006–07). Jena Band of Choctaw Indians — federally recognized tribe. Eden Methodist Church (1788) — oldest Methodist church west of the Mississippi south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Olla (1899) — oldest incorporated town in the parish.
La Salle Parish
Louisiana Landlord Essentials
5-day notice for nonpayment or lease violations — no cure right. 10-day notice to end month-to-month without cause. Deposit: no maximum; return within 1 month with itemized statement. Provide move-in condition statement at start of every tenancy. Corrections/oil & gas tenants: stable income but verify employment given contract variability. Natural disaster clause recommended — parish has 33 presidential disaster declarations. Self-help eviction illegal. Tenants cannot withhold rent in Louisiana. Evictions: 28th Judicial District, Jena.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in La Salle Parish, Louisiana
La Salle Parish is a rural central Louisiana parish whose identity is shaped by the land, the trees, and the people who have worked both for more than two centuries. Created in 1910 from the western half of Catahoula Parish, the parish takes its name from René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle — the French explorer who, in the spring of 1682, became the first European to travel the full length of the Mississippi River from the Illinois country to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. Standing at the river’s mouth on April 9, 1682, La Salle planted a column bearing the arms of France and formally claimed the entire Mississippi River basin — an area that would eventually comprise roughly a third of the modern continental United States — for King Louis XIV, naming the territory “La Louisiane” in the king’s honor. It was this act of claim that created the legal basis for the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, through which the United States acquired the territory from Napoleon Bonaparte. La Salle himself did not live to see any of it: he was assassinated in 1687 by members of his own disgruntled expedition during an ill-fated attempt to establish a colony at the mouth of the river.
Henry Hardtner: The Father of Forestry in the South
La Salle Parish’s most nationally significant historical figure is Henry E. Hardtner (1870–1935), a lumberman who operated out of the town of Urania — which he founded — and who is credited as the “Father of Forestry in the South” and “Louisiana’s first conservationist.” In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the standard practice in Louisiana’s timber industry was clear-cutting: harvesting every tree from a tract and moving on, leaving devastated, barren land behind. Hardtner recognized that this practice was destroying the forests that had supported the region’s economy and would leave nothing for future generations. Beginning around 1913, he began requiring his logging crews to leave seed trees, avoid cutting smaller trees, and replant harvested areas — practices that were then revolutionary in American forestry. He lobbied the Louisiana legislature for conservation laws, helped establish the state’s first forestry department, and became the first president of the Louisiana Forestry Association. His ideas eventually spread across the American South and contributed to the national conservation movement that shaped modern American forestry practice. Hardtner was elected as La Salle Parish’s first state representative when the parish was formed in 1910, and he worked until his death in a car accident near Baton Rouge in 1935.
Jena Six: A Parish in the National Spotlight
In 2006 and 2007, La Salle Parish and the town of Jena entered the national civil rights conversation when a series of racial incidents at Jena High School — beginning with the hanging of three nooses from a tree on school grounds in August 2006 following Black students’ request to sit beneath it — escalated into a confrontation and criminal prosecution that drew over 10,000 protesters to the small town of Jena on September 20, 2007. The case of the “Jena Six” — six Black teenagers charged with attempted second-degree murder following an altercation — drew national media coverage and became one of the most prominent civil rights incidents of the 2000s. Charges were ultimately amended or dropped for most of the defendants. The event remains a significant part of La Salle Parish’s recorded history.
La Salle Parish landlord-tenant matters are governed by Louisiana Civil Code Arts. 2668–2729 and Code of Civil Procedure Arts. 4701–4735. Nonpayment/lease violation: 5-day written notice to vacate (no cure required). Month-to-month termination without cause: 10 days notice before end of month. Security deposit: no maximum; return within 1 month with itemized statement. Tenants may not withhold rent in Louisiana. Landlord entry: 24 hours notice for non-emergency. Move-in condition statement strongly recommended. Natural disaster clause recommended — 33 presidential disaster declarations. Corrections/oil & gas tenants: verify employment at lease signing. Self-help eviction illegal — all removals require court order. Evictions filed in La Salle Parish District Court, 28th Judicial District, Jena. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in La Salle Parish, Louisiana and is not legal advice. Note the spelling variation: the parish is officially “LaSalle” (no space) per US Census usage; local signage uses “La Salle.” Always consult a licensed Louisiana attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
