In 1954, President Roosevelt's River and Harbor Act, Public Law 780, funded the creation of a public small boat harbor, beach expansion, parks and bird sanctuary on 950 acres of what was Ballona Wetlands.

Federal matching funds allocated for the dredging and construction of the marina, were used, with the 1954 intent of creating a public marina for access to all at a reasonable cost.  It's written in the public law.