Grass-to-Garden program - City of Santa Ana

Landscape designs: beautiful and water efficient

Qualifying residents can choose from beautiful landscape designs that are water-efficient and create natural habitats for birds and butterflies. Each design includes:

Replacement of your water thirsty lawn with Orange County natives and/or California-friendly plants that require less water
The installation of an efficient irrigation system
Stormwater retention features such as berms, swales and dry creek beds
Mulch and other permeable surfaces to minimize runoff

* Landscape designs provided courtesy of Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC).

Eligibility

To be considered, you must meet the following criteria:

Your property must be owner-occupied and located within Senate Bill 535 identified Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) within the City of Santa Ana.
Your property must currently have live turf (grass) in front yard and parkway areas.
You must agree to the Grass-to-Garden program terms and conditions, which includes taking sole responsibility for the quality, appearance and maintenance of the re-landscaped area for a period of 5 years following the date of installation. (Click here to read the full Terms & Conditions.)

Click here to begin the application process.

G2G (Grass-to-Garden) FAQs

I live outside the Senate Bill 535 identified Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) within the City of Santa Ana. Can I still apply for the program?

The current program is limited to the Senate Bill 535 identified Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) within the City of Santa Ana. If you wish to transform your landscape but live outside these areas, you may apply for the Metropolitan Water District Turf Replacement Program, which provides up to a $3.00 incentive per square foot for turf replacement. Please contact conservewater@santa-ana.org or (714) 647-3350 to learn more.

My grass is dry and/or dead, do I still qualify for the program?

In order to qualify for the program, there must be grass in the front yard of the property. Grass that is not green may still qualify for the program. All determinations for qualification will be made at the discretion of the City of Santa Ana Water Resources Department. If you are unsure if your lawn will qualify, you may submit photos of your front lawn to conservewater@santa-ana.org.

How long does it take to receive an approval or denial for my application?

You will be notified within 7 business days of receiving your completed application.

What happens after my application is approved?

The City of Santa Ana Water Resources Department will contact you to schedule a site visit and discuss next steps. At that time, you will be asked to sign the Grass-to-Garden Program Customer Agreement. You can view the agreement here.

Do I need to be present for the pre-inspection of the property?

While it is not required, it is highly recommended as it is a great opportunity for participants to ask questions to the Water Resources Division representative regarding the program, design templates, installation process etc.

How long will the installation process take?

While we cannot guarantee construction to be done by an exact date, once started we anticipate most installations to be completed within 1 month, depending on the size of the property.

What happens if a plant in my newly installed landscape dies?

If you notice a plant that isn’t doing so well within a few months of the landscape being installed, please email conservewater@santa-ana.org or call (714) 647-3350.

I would like to replace or add some plants in my installed landscape. Is this ok?

Any modifications to the landscape must be verified by the City of Santa And Water Resources Department before they are made. Please reach out to us before adding or removing any plants. If you wish to add a plant please provide us the name of the plant if possible so that we may verify water usage. You may reach us at: conservewater@santa-ana.org or (714) 647-3350.