Looks like you have plantings already in place that will provide screening if no longer pruned to be seen through or over.

Hedges are old so there’s not much other then top. View of homes will be higher the that. They’ll be higher ground then my yard

Are the see through trees Bottlebrush, Callistemon? Leave those alone and let them fill in. Plant three more down the fence line behind the palm and let them grow unmolested.

What is the hedge outside the fence? It may be able to be rejuvenated or just left to grow taller.

The grass looks like Pink Muhly. Miscanthus gets much taller and makes an effective screen, but I think more Bottlebrush will suffice.

I've never understood what people do in their backyards that require so much privacy. What, the neighbors gonna watch you barbecue? Nakid in a hot tub I can understand. Maybe.

Hedges are old so there’s not much other then top. View of homes will be higher the that. They’ll be higher ground then my yard

Really??? Don’t mind them seeing what I’m doing. Mostly I don’t want to see cars and people back and forth. We have people fishing across from us all the time, I wave!! Just don’t want it 24/7.

I get it Elizabeth. I like a bit of separation from the neighbors also, one especially! I don't like to feel as if we are all sitting on the same patio.

What plant is your hedge?

Small trees and/or large shrubs, conducive to your climate.

Existing sheared hedge should be allowed to grow unfettered, show what it is capable of before concluding it does not have enough horsepower to screen the unwanted future view. Instead of investing in additional plantings unnecessarily. Also replacing the grass coming right up to the base of each shrub in the hedge with a strip of mulched bed would be likely to have a stimulating effect on the growth of the hedge.