Los Angeles to Spend $5.1 Million on Beach Restoration as Latino Communities Face Housing and Homelessness Crisis

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While LA County invests in shoreline protection for Zuma, Dockweiler, and Redondo beaches, critics argue funds should prioritize Latino families struggling with homelessness, rising rents, and budget shortfalls.

 

Los Angeles County is committing $5.1 million to design and begin protecting its beaches—Zuma, Dockweiler, and Redondo—which are rapidly disappearing, partly due to sea-level rise and climate-driven erosion.

This plan was officially announced by the Department of Beaches and Harbors (DBH). The funding, sourced from Measure A (a 2016 parcel tax supporting parks, beaches, open spaces, and water conservation), will fund planning and design phases for “living shoreline” projects aimed at coastal resilience, public access, and equity.

Beach-Specific Breakdown:

• Zuma Beach: $3.1 million will be spent widening the beach and creating dune habitats; this may also benefit nearby Point Dume.
• Dockweiler State Beach: $230,000 allocated to install a sand barrier and restore dunes around parking areas.
• Redondo Beach: $1.7 million will support beach widening and dune habitat creation.

Context & Purpose:

• Zuma loses approximately 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) of shoreline annually, while Dockweiler loses about 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) each year.
• These projects are part of a broader coastal resilience strategy, recognizing beaches as vital refuges—especially for underserved inland communities facing extreme heat and limited recreational options.
• Construction is expected in the coming years; the current funding covers only the design phase, with final costs anticipated to be substantially higher.
• The county is exploring sand reuse from development, dredging, or flood-control operations to augment natural sediment cycles—a response to erosion worsened by dams and seawalls blocking sediment flow

The initiative to safeguard beloved beaches is commendable and reflects a proactive stance in climate adaptation. However, for many Latino communities—facing homelessness, housing unaffordability, and service shortfalls—the project’s timing and priorities may appear misaligned with more immediate humanitarian needs. The distrust stems not from opposition to environmental preservation, but from lived experiences of systems that too often under-serve Latino families.