By Ella Mahan and Kelley Sussman
Bruce’s Beach has been a part of Manhattan Beach for decades. The beach was named after the Bruce family, which had been evicted from the land through eminent domain. The way of “honoring” them through a plaque has been criticized as being a poor gesture to the family. The Bruce family pursued legal action hoping to get the land back.
The Bruce family should not have to fight for its land; it should be given to them to right the wrongs of Manhattan Beach’s past. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to return the Bruce’s Beach property to the Bruce Family on April 20, which will hopefully be a correction step for past wrongdoings of the Manhattan Beach community driven by race.
Returning the land could involve the county moving the lifeguard facility elsewhere or renting the land from the Bruce’s, according to USA Today. According to Janice Hahn, the supervisor of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, there is a possibility the county may relocate the lifeguard
facility or ask for the right to lease back the land.
Giving the land back to the Bruce family will give the family the opportunity to do what they want to with the land. Chief Duane Shepard, a descendant of the Bruce family, had stated that the family would be taking legal action in order to be fully reimbursed for the land. On April 20, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to have the county chief make a plan within 60 days for how to successfully return the land, according to USA Today.
Manhattan Beach landowners are taking the first steps in the right direction to rightfully return the land back to the Bruce family. Although it may take a while, actions are being taken.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted on supervisor Janice Hahn’s motive to create a plan for the L.A. County CEO to sponsor Senate Bill 796, according to ABC. In order to successfully transfer ownership, the state law must be changed, which is headed by Steve Bradford’s Senate Bill 796. Bradford hopes the law will be passed this year, which will be beneficial for our community as a whole, as it will correct a past wrongdoing of the Manhattan Beach community.
The sole purpose of eminent domain is to benefit the community as a whole. Taking land from the Bruces under unfair conditions does not benefit the city of Manhattan Beach. In fact, the use of eminent domain in this instance held the community back, as it has created racial injustice and furthered the racial divide in the Manhattan Beach community.
The return of land to the rightful owners, the Bruces, is definitely a step in the right direction for our community.
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