Santa Monica Cash for Grass Rebate 2026

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Santa Monica, California Water Rebates

Santa Monica funds its own Cash for Grass rebate, separate from the regional Metropolitan Water District program. Single-family homes get $3.50 per square foot, up to $6,000, to replace living lawn with climate-appropriate plants and mulch. Because it is city-funded, it keeps running even when the regional fund runs dry.

$3.50 / sq ft, up to $6,000 · Verified June 2026

Cash for Grass Rebate

Open the official program site

How to apply

Review the Cash for Grass program guide and confirm you are on City of Santa Monica water service
Submit your application before removing any lawn
Wait for written approval
Replace the lawn with climate-appropriate plants and mulch
Submit your installation checklist and W-9, then schedule the inspection to receive your rebate

What you'll need

Santa Monica water account information
Photos of the existing living lawn
Approval confirmation
Completed installation checklist and Form W-9
After photos

Pollinator Patch can help: It picks Santa Monica-appropriate California natives for the coastal Westside, designs an HOA-friendly layout, and assembles your before-photo and plant-list packet.

Avoid these mistakes

Don't remove your lawn before you apply and get approval.
Don't install synthetic turf. The program requires living climate-appropriate plants and mulch.
Don't let the new landscape die within 5 years. The program requires you to maintain it.

Santa Monica Water Rebate FAQs

How much does Santa Monica pay to remove a lawn?

$3.50 per square foot, up to $6,000 for single-family homes. Multi-family and commercial properties get an extra $1.00 per square foot (City of Santa Monica Cash for Grass, verified June 2026).

Is this different from the MWD rebate?

Yes. Santa Monica funds Cash for Grass itself, so it continues even when the regional Metropolitan Water District turf fund is depleted.

Can I use artificial turf?

No. The program requires climate-appropriate living plants and mulch. Synthetic turf does not qualify.

Free step-by-step help with every rebate above

Every program above comes with a free guided checklist in the Pollinator Patch app: the steps in order, warnings before the mistakes that disqualify applications, and a photo locker that keeps your before and after photos and receipts together. A few high-value programs also offer an optional ready-to-file application packet for a one-time $29.99.