Verified August 26, 2026
Turf replacement rebates
Every major California program pays you to take out lawn, and every one of them cancels the money if you start before their sign-off. The comparison nobody publishes: rates, caps and the rule that costs homeowners the rebate, each verified on the program’s own pages.
SoCal WaterSmart (MWD)$2.00/sq ft base, up to 5,000 sq ft per yearThe regional base rebate behind most Southern California programs. Live turf, a stormwater feature and a reservation before any digging.LADWP (Los Angeles)$5.00/sq ft in Los Angeles ($3 LADWP on top of $2 MWD)Los Angeles adds its own money on top of the regional base, which makes it the highest rate in the state, with the tightest project rules.EBMUD (East Bay)$1.00/sq ft, or $2.00/sq ft with the Super RebateEast Bay pays per square foot and doubles the rate for sheet-mulched, native-planted conversions done in the cool season.Valley Water (Santa Clara Co.)$2.00/sq ft base, $3 to $4/sq ft in six cost-share citiesSanta Clara County pays a base rate that six partner cities top up, with lifetime caps counted per property rather than per project.City of Sacramento$1.50/sq ft, up to $3,000 for a single-family homeThe capital pays per square foot up to a fixed ceiling, plus separate add-ons for drip conversion, a smart controller and design help.
The rule shared by all five
Apply and get the written reservation or sign-off first, leave the lawn in the ground until the pre-inspection where one is required, and only then start work. Programs differ on whether the grass has to still be green: some accept dying or brown turf, none accept bare dirt where a lawn used to be.