Jefferson Parish to consider new rules for massage parlors after repeated complaints - NOLA.com

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After fielding complaints for years about an unlicensed massage parlor operating on Terry Parkway, the Jefferson Parish Council is set to consider an ordinance Wednesday that could make it easier for parish officials to crack down on bad actors.

Jefferson Parish 1st District Council member Marion Edwards said he began crafting the rules over two years ago, after residents in Terrytown contacted his office with concerns about potential illegal activity at LA Massage, located just blocks away from Terrytown Elementary School.


According to state regulators, LA Massage’s phone number was included in advertisements featuring Asian women on several websites used by “businesses offering illicit services and/or illegal prostitution.”


Those findings prompted the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy in June 2023 to reject LA Massage’s application to regain its state license, after it expired earlier in the year.


Still, LA Massage continues to operate without a license. On Tuesday, its storefront at 506 Terry Parkway featured a blinking “open” sign. When reached by phone, an employee confirmed that the massage parlor was open for walk-ins.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office made several arrests at LA Massage in 2021 and 2022 on charges related to both prostitution and practicing massage therapy without a license, but it hasn’t acted since, according to a JPSO spokesperson.


Jefferson Parish already requires massage parlors to obtain a permit to operate, though it’s unclear how closely that’s enforced. Asked for the number massage establishment permits currently on the books, a parish spokesperson said that data was unavailable.


Under the existing ordinance, the parish can’t revoke a massage parlor’s permit until a hearing is held by a “review committee” appointed by the Parish Council, though a parish spokesperson couldn’t say how many permits had been revoked in the past five years.


Edwards’ proposed ordinance would clearly state that it’s unlawful to operate a massage establishment or perform services without a valid permit.

It would provide structure to how the existing review committee operates, and it would prohibit parlors from operating between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. At the moment, parlors can stay open until midnight.

The ordinance would also make permit holders accountable for violations at their premises for the previous 18 months, regardless of whether the business changes ownership. LA Massage has switched hands multiple times in the past few years, according to public records. The current owner, Changling Qui, couldn't be reached for comment.


Edwards said he crafted the proposed ordinance alongside JPSO and Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng's administration.

“JPSO has been working with the Parish Council to simplify and strengthen the ordinance to make enforcement both easier and more effective parishwide,” a JPSO spokesperson said.

The Parish Council is expected to vote on the proposal at its meeting Wednesday, May 1 at 10 a.m. at the General Government Building in Gretna.


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