Meta’s Louisiana Data Center Is Reshaping Local Workforce Housing

Frame the story around Richland Parish, a small farming community in northeast Louisiana where Meta’s arrival is changing the local pace of life. Meta announced in December 2024 that it planned to build its largest data center to date near Holly Ridge, an unincorporated community local outlets report has fewer than 2,000 residents. The project is described as a $50 billion, multi-year build that Meta said would support around 7,500 jobs at peak construction and around 1,000 operational jobs.

Explain how the influx of construction and operational workers created an immediate housing opportunity for nearby residents. Angel Crawford of Delhi, about 10 minutes west of Holly Ridge, noticed more workers arriving last year and opened a mobile home park with her husband, Bryan, to help address the housing gap. Their Antley Pines community became part of a broader shift as mobile home and RV parks appeared around Richland Parish.

Use Antley Pines as the central example of how local property owners are adapting. The Crawfords founded Parish Line Properties in 2024, operating 18 homes in the area, including Antley Pines; 14 of the 18 homes are considered workforce housing. Antley Pines opened in December 2025, has 10 mobile homes, and many residents are contractors working for Meta, including subcontractors such as electricians.

Highlight why location matters for workers: Antley Pines is 15 minutes from Meta’s construction site, and Angel Crawford said workers may work six to seven days a week and 12-plus hours a day. The homes at Antley Pines are fully furnished four-bedroom, two-bathroom units that Angel said average $3,000 a month with utilities, compared with roughly $1,200 to $1,500 for an unfurnished house without utilities before Meta arrived. The report also notes mixed local views on data centers, with optimism around jobs and economic activity balanced against concerns about impacts such as the environment, utilities, and the broader job market.