California allocates $5 million to help Northern Chumash Tribe buy historic coastal acreage
The state has approved $5 million toward an $18 million purchase of 357 coastal acres in Cayucos, which the Northern Chumash Tribe aims to restore and revive an old abalone farm.
The Northern Chumash Tribe is seeking to purchase the 357-acre Alexander Ranch in Cayucos for $18 million, and California has approved a $5 million grant to support the deal. The land, once home to the nation’s largest abalone farm and an Indigenous village, includes a mile of coastline, a eucalyptus grove for monarch butterflies, and a seasonal creek that feeds the Estero Bluffs. Tribal leaders intend to manage the property with traditional practices, restoring the Villa Creek watershed to aid steelhead trout and preserving cultural ties to the area.
The former farm’s 900 concrete tanks, idle since 2020, may be revived through a collaboration with the Harmony Coast Aquaculture Institute, which holds a rare seawater intake permit. The institute plans an algae-based water-treatment system to improve conditions for red, white and black abalone, supporting both commercial production and restoration research. As of June 2026, the tribe’s nonprofit has raised almost $8.2 million, including a $7 million state grant, with the escrow deadline set for October 15.
