Tangipahoa Parish is a Florida Parish of approximately 135,000 people anchored by Hammond — the parish’s commercial and educational hub with a population of about 20,000 — sitting astride I-55 and I-12 in southeast Louisiana between Baton Rouge to the west and New Orleans to the south. The parish is home to Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) in Hammond, with enrollment of approximately 13,000 students, which shapes the Hammond rental market significantly and establishes Tangipahoa as a genuine college town alongside its role as a regional commercial hub. The parish seat is Amite City, a smaller community north of Hammond on US-51, where the 21st Judicial District Court handles parish evictions. Tangipahoa Parish’s economy blends higher education, healthcare, agriculture (particularly strawberry farming — Hammond is the self-proclaimed Strawberry Capital of the World), timber, and a growing commuter base connected to both the Baton Rouge and New Orleans metros by the I-12 and I-55 corridors.
The rental market in Tangipahoa Parish is concentrated in Hammond and its immediate surroundings, with student housing demand from SLU shaping the near-campus market. The parish poverty rate of approximately 22% reflects the student population’s impact on reported poverty statistics alongside a genuine lower-income segment in outlying rural communities. Louisiana Civil Code governs all leases with no local rent control or just-cause eviction requirements.
Hammond, Amite City, Ponchatoula, Kentwood, Roseland
Court
21st Judicial District Court
Typical Rent Range
~$700–$1,100/mo
Rent Control
None
Just-Cause Eviction
Not required
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
5-Day Notice to Vacate
Lease Violation
5-Day Notice to Vacate
Month-to-Month Term.
10-Day Written Notice
Cure Period
None required by law
Eviction Filing
Rule to Show Cause
Eviction Timeline
2–5 weeks total
Security Deposit Cap
2 months rent
Security Deposit Return
30 days after termination
Statute
La. CC Art. 2686–2729; CCP Art. 4701
Tangipahoa Parish Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rental Licensing
No parish-level rental license required. Louisiana has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Verify with the City of Hammond or City of Amite City for any local code enforcement requirements within their city limits.
Rent Control
None. Louisiana has no statewide rent control and Tangipahoa Parish has no local rent control ordinance. Lessors may raise rents freely at renewal with proper notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (R.S. 9:3251). Must be returned with itemized deductions within 30 days of lease termination or surrender, whichever is later (R.S. 9:3252). Permissible deductions: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utilities owed by lessee.
Eviction Court — 21st Judicial District (Tangipahoa Division)
All Tangipahoa Parish eviction proceedings are filed in the 21st Judicial District Court — Tangipahoa Parish Division, Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse, 110 N. Bay Street, Amite City, LA 70422. Phone: (985) 748-4146. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Note: The 21st JDC serves Livingston, Tangipahoa, and St. Helena parishes; Tangipahoa matters are filed at the Amite City courthouse — not at Hammond. Justice of the Peace courts may have jurisdiction for leases not exceeding $1,000/month in unincorporated areas.
Notice to Vacate
Written 5-day notice to vacate required before filing for eviction (CCP Art. 4701–4703). Serve personally, by domiciliary service, or by door-posting plus first class mail. Retain all service documentation.
Month-to-Month Termination
10-day written notice required to terminate a month-to-month lease (CC Art. 2687, 2728). Notice must be given at least 10 days before the end of the monthly rental period.
Tacit Reconduction
Accepting rent after a fixed-term lease expires automatically creates a new month-to-month tenancy (CC Art. 2686). In student rental markets, be especially vigilant at academic year-end — do not accept any rent after an SLU-aligned lease expires without a new signed agreement.
No Statutory Cure Period
Louisiana provides no statutory cure period for lease violations. After the 5-day notice expires, the lessor may file a Rule to Show Cause immediately.
Southeastern Louisiana University Student Market
Southeastern Louisiana University (enrollment ~13,000) generates significant student rental demand in Hammond neighborhoods near campus. Student applicants without independent income require a creditworthy co-signer who independently meets income and credit thresholds. Apply co-signer policies consistently to all student applicants per Fair Housing requirements. Academic-year lease timing (August–July) aligns well with the SLU calendar and reduces summer vacancy.
SLU Faculty & Staff
Faculty and administrative staff at Southeastern Louisiana are Louisiana state university employees with stable, predictable monthly income and comprehensive benefits. They represent the most reliable locally-employed tenant segment in the Hammond market.
Baton Rouge & New Orleans Commuter Access
Hammond sits at the I-12/I-55 interchange, approximately 50 miles from New Orleans via I-55 and approximately 50 miles from Baton Rouge via I-12. Some Tangipahoa residents commute to either metro. Verify income from employers in both directions using standard pay stubs and employer confirmation.
Strawberry Farming & Agriculture
Tangipahoa Parish is Louisiana’s leading strawberry-producing parish, with Ponchatoula and surrounding areas known nationally for their strawberry festivals and harvest. Strawberry farming is highly seasonal with peak harvest in the spring. For agricultural worker applicants, request prior-year tax returns or 12-month bank statements rather than harvest-season pay documentation.
Source of Income / HCV
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Contact the Tangipahoa Parish Housing Authority for current HCV payment standards.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited. Lessors may not take possession by any means other than lawful judicial process (CCP Art. 4736). Lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of tenant belongings without a court order expose the lessor to liability.
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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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: Hammond, Amite City, Ponchatoula, Kentwood, Roseland.
Hammond market: SLU students (13,000) require co-signer policy. SLU faculty/staff are most stable local tenants. Dual metro commuter access (NOLA ~50 mi via I-55; Baton Rouge ~50 mi via I-12). Strawberry agriculture needs full-year documentation. File at Amite City courthouse, not Hammond — 21st JDC serves three parishes.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Tangipahoa Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Hammond, Amite City, Ponchatoula, and the I-12 Corridor
Tangipahoa Parish is a Florida Parish of approximately 135,000 people whose economic identity is shaped by the fortunate intersection of higher education, interstate commerce, and agriculture at the midpoint between Louisiana’s two largest cities. Hammond, the parish’s commercial hub, sits precisely at the junction of I-55 and I-12 — approximately equidistant from New Orleans to the south and Baton Rouge to the west — making it one of the most conveniently positioned mid-sized Louisiana cities for commuters with employment in either direction. Southeastern Louisiana University’s 13,000-student enrollment gives Hammond a genuine college-town character and a rental market defined in significant part by student housing demand. Ponchatoula, to the south, carries the proud title of Antique City and hosts the famous Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, celebrating the parish’s status as Louisiana’s premier strawberry-producing region. The parish seat is Amite City, north of Hammond on US-51, where the 21st Judicial District Court serves Tangipahoa alongside Livingston and St. Helena parishes.
Southeastern Louisiana University and the Hammond Student Market
Southeastern Louisiana University’s enrollment of approximately 13,000 students makes SLU the defining institution of the Hammond rental market. Student rental demand concentrates in neighborhoods near the campus on SLU Drive and the surrounding streets, and in the apartment complexes that line the corridors connecting campus to Hammond’s commercial strip. The co-signer policy that applies in every Louisiana college town market applies here: student applicants without independent qualifying income require a creditworthy parent or guarantor who independently meets income and credit thresholds and agrees to joint liability for the full lease term. Apply this consistently across all student applicants per Fair Housing requirements. SLU faculty and administrative staff are Louisiana state university employees — stable, predictable W-2 income with comprehensive benefits and strong institutional accountability — and they represent the most reliable locally-employed tenant segment in the market.
The tacit reconduction risk at academic year-end applies here as it does at every Louisiana university: do not accept any rent after an August-July lease expires without a new signed agreement, or Louisiana Civil Code Article 2686 automatically creates a new month-to-month tenancy. A late payment from a student’s parents after the lease has technically expired can inadvertently extend a tenancy for another month, requiring proper 10-day notice to end.
The I-12/I-55 Corridor and Dual Metro Commuter Access
Hammond’s position at the I-12/I-55 interchange gives it a commuter catchment area that spans both the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metros — an unusual advantage for a city of its size. New Orleans commuters reach Hammond in approximately 50 minutes via I-55; Baton Rouge commuters reach it in approximately 50 minutes via I-12. This dual access means that Hammond landlords can draw on two metropolitan labor markets simultaneously, and the parish’s housing costs, which are meaningfully lower than either metro, provide a genuine affordability advantage for workers in both cities. Verify income from employers in either direction using standard pay stubs and employer confirmation — the commute direction does not change the verification process.
Louisiana Law and the Eviction Process in Tangipahoa Parish
All Tangipahoa Parish evictions are filed in the 21st Judicial District Court, Tangipahoa Parish Division, 110 N. Bay Street, Amite City, LA 70422, phone (985) 748-4146. The courthouse is in Amite City — not in Hammond, which is the parish’s commercial center. The 21st JDC serves Livingston, Tangipahoa, and St. Helena parishes; Tangipahoa matters are filed at the Amite City courthouse. Begin with a written 5-day notice to vacate for nonpayment or lease violation, served per CCP Art. 4704. After expiration, file a Rule to Show Cause. The court schedules a hearing, serves the rule at least 2 days before, and the judge rules. If the lessor prevails, the lessee has 24 hours to vacate before the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff enforces a writ of possession. Month-to-month leases require 10-day written notice to terminate. Security deposits are capped at 2 months’ rent and must be returned with itemized deductions within 30 days.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Louisiana landlord-tenant law is governed by the Civil Code and differs significantly from other states. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney or contact the 21st Judicial District Court at (985) 748-4146 for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Louisiana landlord-tenant law is governed by the Civil Code and differs significantly from other states. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
