Turf buy-back program offers $2K to Palm Desert homeowners
Homeowners in Palm Desert can get paid up to $2,000 by replacing the grass in their front yard with desert landscaping.
The incentive was created through a new partnership program between the city of Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley Water District.
Beginning August 1, the new turf buy-back program offers Palm Desert residents a combined $2 per square-foot rebate for removing up to 1,000 square-feet of turf and replacing it with drip-irrigated desert plants, according to city officials.
One dollar of the $2 rebate will be paid by the city, and the other dollar will be paid by the water district.
Officials said the residential rebates only apply to front yards and all retrofits must include a new SMART irrigation controller.
Beginning August 15, the program will also offer combined rebates of up to $15,000 for homeowners associations and commercial properties who replace parkway turf areas with desert landscaping.
Applications must be submitted to the Coachella Valley Water District, located at 75525 Hovley Lane East in Palm Desert.
The water district will begin collecting applications on August 1 for single family residential projects and on August 15 for homeowners association and commercial projects, according to the release.
For more information about the rebate program, call 760-398-2651 or visit cvwd.org.
