by Chelsea Sektnan
An overgrown Redondo Beach yard choked with debris and towering weeds was transformed into a symbol of unity in the days before Thanksgiving by volunteers from Coastline Covenant Church’s Coastline Cares, as well as neighbors and city officials The group also tackled three other homes across the South Bay whose homeowners were unable to maintain their yards due to physical or financial hardships.
“We want to become a kinder, more close-knit, loving community,” said Joyce Kelly, a congregant at the Redondo Beach church and head of the Coastline Cares Ministry. “We told people, if you want the same thing, you’re welcome to join us. We’d love to meet you and have you work alongside us.”
Kelly devised the idea while driving from West L.A. and seeing homes that were uncared for.
“I would think, ‘I wonder why their house is like that. I wonder what their story is,’ and I wondered if anybody cared,” Kelly said. “Coastline Cares was started last July to help seniors and disabled people who can’t afford to take care of their home or yard. We just give them a boost by doing small repairs and cleaning their yards.”
For North Redondo Beach resident Jim Mueller, the event was part of a broader push to address neglected and chronically vacant properties in the area. Mueller, a long-time advocate for solutions to community blight, has been frustrated by the lack of action on vacant homes.
“It started with the fact that in my neighborhood, there are two long-vacant houses,” Mueller said. “They’ve been vacant for at least 10 years, and the owners do minimal maintenance. They’re an eyesore in the community.”
Frustrated by minimal action from code enforcement, Mueller took his concerns to the city council and even drafted a proposed ordinance. While the council has yet to act, District 3 City Councilwoman Paige Kaluderovic took notice and began championing clean-up efforts and connected Muller and Kelly.
“Some residents can’t keep up with it—they just don’t have the physical or monetary means necessary,” said Kaluderovic. “I thought, if it was me, and I couldn’t afford help or didn’t have children or relatives, what would I do?”
Kelly and Kaluderovic identified properties for the clean-up, reaching out to the community through social media platforms to gather suggestions. Their efforts led to the selection of four properties across the South Bay, including the Redondo Beach home, and three more in Torrance. The homeowner of the Redondo Beach property, initially skeptical, eventually embraced the support.
“The Redondo Beach homeowner is someone Paige identified through their Quality of Life Code Enforcement,” Kelly said. “At first, she wouldn’t answer her door, so I started cultivating a relationship, and eventually, I gained some trust and was able to talk to her.”
On the day of the event, the homeowner watched as volunteers tackled her overgrown yard.
“She sat out and watched and more or less embraced it in her own undemonstrative way,” Kelly said. “It was delightful.”
The team of 10, including three employees from Forsberg Landscaping, cleared weeds, trimmed overgrown trees, and hauled away debris.
“The place was really overgrown—it desperately needed attention,” Mueller said. “By the time we finished, it looked so much better. It was great to see the homeowner outside, encouraging everyone.”
The clean-up extended beyond the church community, drawing volunteers from diverse backgrounds. A resident of Project Moonstone, Redondo Beach’s supportive housing program for individuals transitioning out of homelessness, strapped tools to his bike to help work in the yards.
“It was cool, really I liked it,” Terry McNamara, the Project Moonstone resident, said. “It gave me something to do because where I’m at, we can’t really do too much. But doing that was great. I’m used to having a garage and tinkering around. With the situation I’m in now, I don’t have that, so it’s a good way to stay busy.”
“[Terry] calls me every day now, asking, ‘What can I do for you?’” Kelly said. “It’s amazing to see how much people want to help.”
Kaluderovic emphasized the collaborative nature of the event.
“They had a crew to chainsaw huge branches off of a tree, and there were just piles of trash,” she said. “It was a lot of different pieces who came together in a really positive, great way. Everybody was just happy to help.”
Mueller noted that while these clean-ups make an immediate impact, the problem of neglected properties requires systemic solutions.
“We have a serious issue with chronically vacant properties in North Redondo,” he said. “These properties don’t just drag down neighborhoods—they represent missed opportunities for affordable housing and tax revenue,” Muller said.
As the volunteers wrapped up their work, they shared a meal at the church, celebrating the day’s accomplishments.
“There was so much joy in the room,” said Nikki Hernandez, Director of Ministry Programming at Coastline Covenant Church. “It’s a win-win. People worked hard, and now they’re celebrating together.”
Hernandez highlighted the program’s ability to bring the community together.
“It wasn’t just members of the church. Most people have the desire to help the people around them, but you don’t always know how to,” she said. “That’s what’s really fun about it. I think it’s one of those projects that brings the entire community together regardless of what your faith beliefs are.” ER
