Housing in Richland Parish

The short version

Housing is tight. Delhi has about 2,500 people and Rayville, the parish seat, about 3,200, so thousands of workers compete with residents for a small stock. Monroe, in Ouachita Parish, is the regional housing center, so expect longer drives if you look outside the parish.

What workers are using

• Hotels. Local officials expected some workers to use hotels, and one company was reported to have bought a hotel in Rayville or Delhi.
• Investor rentals. One local firm operates 18 units, 14 of them workforce housing, rented mostly to contractors.
• Mobile home parks and worker camps. New parks have opened, and a recreation center serves site workers off shift.

We did not find current rent figures for Rayville or Delhi or an official count of RV or camp spaces. The parish-wide Census figures on the overview page (median rent about $836 to $907, median home value $141,900) are the best published baseline and predate the surge.

Impact on residents

Reports describe rising property prices and traffic complaints. An AP report, which we could not verify directly, says a number of low-income families were evicted from a trailer park converted for new arrivals. If you rent here, expect the local mood to be mixed and be a considerate neighbor.