Los Angeles County officials Thursday awarded $500,000 in Measure A funding to an environmental organization to support its work restoring Topanga Beach.
During a morning news conference, L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath presented the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, or RCDSMM, with a half-million-dollar check. The funding will assist the organization in its effort to restore coastal habitat, improve public access and address long-standing challenges at Topanga Beach.
“LA County’s Third District is proud to support the continued restoration of the Topanga Lagoon. This investment advances the long-term resilience of our coastline, expands access to nature and recreation for our communities, and protects vital ecosystems as we confront the climate crisis,” Horvath said in a statement.
“I am committed to maintaining this momentum and working in partnership to move this project toward construction and ensure it becomes shovel-ready.”
The beach — which attracts nearly 1 million annual visitors — has faced challenges over the past two decades such as coastal erosion, aging infrastructure and recent damage from the 2025 Palisades fire.
There are planned improvements to the beach, which include mitigating erosion and sea-level rise. There’s also a planned Federal Aviation Administration-approved helipad, and upgrading transit stops and parking, as well as expanding the usable beach area by one acre.
The restoration project is being led by the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains with assistance from the county Department of Beaches and Harbors, California State Parks, and Caltrans.
“This investment allows us to move critical restoration work forward at Topanga Lagoon while improving how people experience and connect with the coast,” Jasmine Reinhardt, district manager of the RCDSMM, said in a statement.
Warren Ontiveros, deputy director of the county Department of Beaches and Harbors, noted the agency serves as the land manager of the county-owned Topanga Beach. The department has worked with the Resource Conservation District since 2019.
“Topanga Beach is one of our most visited stretches of coastline, and projects like this are essential to keeping them safe and accessible for the public while also advancing responsible stewardship of ecological resources,” Ontiveros said in a statement.
Funds from Measure A will be used to advance design and engineering for infrastructure and visitor-serving improvements, and habitat restoration on the county beach property. The goal is to move the project closer to construction.
The 2016-voter approved measure provides dedicated tax dollars to improve public parks, beaches and open spaces. The latest round of competitive grant funding will distribute more than $78 million to 48 organizations, cities and agencies, according to county officials.