LA’s ‘Living Shorelines’ Get $5.1M Boost

The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) has awarded $5.1 million to the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors (DBH) to advance “living shoreline” projects at Dockweiler, Zuma, and Redondo beaches. These efforts use dunes and native vegetation to protect against sea level rise and storms while ensuring continued public access. The Measure A funding will move the projects into planning, design, and environmental review phases, marking a major investment in coastal resilience.

The largest share, $3.1 million, will support widening and dune restoration at Zuma Beach, with benefits expected to extend to Point Dume. Redondo Beach will receive $1.7 million for new dune habitat and beach expansion, while Dockweiler State Beach will use $230,000 for smaller-scale interventions such as sand barriers, invasive plant removal, and native vegetation planting. County leaders emphasized that these projects advance both resilience and equity, ensuring safe, welcoming coastal spaces for families who rely on beaches for recreation and relief from extreme heat.

As reported by Maaz Alin, the living shoreline initiative builds on DBH’s broader Coastal Resilience Initiative, which works with natural systems to protect beaches rather than relying on concrete seawalls. These projects show how targeted investments can safeguard ecosystems, strengthen community access, and preserve iconic stretches of Los Angeles County’s coastline for generations to come.