Lawn replacement · California

Long Beach Water Lawn to Garden Incentive

Run by Long Beach Utilities Department (Long Beach Water)

OpenPlan requiredLast checked October 17, 2026
What you get
$3.00 per sq ft of lawn removed, plus design reimbursement (see notes)
Maximum
$15,000 per household
Who qualifies
Property owner with a Long Beach water account; one approved application per account (owners of multiple properties up to five); account must stay current with no water-use violations; living turf only; pre-existing projects ineligible.
Where
Property owners with a Long Beach Utilities water account and living turf.
Status
Open. Per official page; funding first come first served and may change.
Type of payment
Cash incentive
Official program page

What you do

Replace living lawn (min 250 sq ft) with a LBUD-approved water-wise design with native/California-friendly plants, stormwater retention, efficient irrigation and mulch.

Requirements

  • 250 sq ft minimum; 5,000 sq ft maximum residential
  • Low-water California native and/or California-friendly plants
  • 65% plant coverage in re-landscaped area
  • Stormwater retention feature
  • Habitat development
  • Efficient irrigation system
  • Mulch and other natural materials
  • Synthetic turf not allowed
  • Design must be approved by LBUD before you remove lawn
  • Areas visible from street count as front yard
  • 5-year maintenance: reimbursement owed if altered (100% year 1, 80, 60, 40, 20% year 5)
  • Comply with City permits/codes; LBUD verifies irrigation and size

The plan or design it asks for

Landscape design per the Design Requirements must be submitted and approved by LBUD before work starts; exact documents on the Design Requirements page (not reproduced).

Native plant lists for the area: Long Beach

Make the plan in Sow

Draw the layout and build the plant list

Sow places plants on a photo of your yard and keeps a list of everything you add. Check Long Beach Water's rules for exactly what to submit.

Start a plan in Sow

How to apply

  1. 1Read Terms and Conditions and Design Requirements
  2. 2Submit online application (owner signs); LBUD may request signed paper copy within 2 weeks of approval
  3. 3Wait for design approval before killing lawn
  4. 4Install landscape per approved design
  5. 5Submit project completion per Project Checklist; LBUD verifies
  6. 6Payment issued to property owner

Estimate your rebate

Uses the published rate per square foot of lawn removed and the $15,000 cap. The program sets the final amount after its inspection.

Enter an area to see an estimate

Timing and deadlines

not published

Combining it with other programs

Design Reimbursement Program: $0.50/sq ft for projects over 1,000 sq ft (up to $1,500), $500 under 1,000 sq ft, using an LBUD-approved designer (T&C figures; program page says up to $1,500)

Sources

Last checked October 17, 2026. See something out of date? Tell us.

Sow is not affiliated with any of these agencies or utilities. Amounts and rules change, often at the start of a fiscal year, so confirm the details on the official page before you start a project. How we research these programs

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