California HOAs have a new landscaping requirement coming, and boards should start planning for it now.
Beginning January 1, 2029, AB 1572 will prohibit California homeowners associations from using potable water to irrigate nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas.
For many associations, that could mean landscape changes, irrigation modifications and potentially significant costs.
But before a board assumes it needs to remove every lawn or approve a large landscape contract, there is a more important first step:
Understand exactly what the law affects and what actually needs to be changed.
That distinction could make a significant difference in what homeowners ultimately pay.
AB 1572 Is Already California Law
AB 1572 was signed into law in 2023 and added California Water Code Section 10608.14.
For homeowners associations, the key date is January 1, 2029.
Beginning on that date, potable water generally cannot be used to irrigate nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas.
This is not a proposed bill that may or may not happen. It is already law.
That means associations with potentially affected landscaping should begin evaluating the issue (and preparing for those expenses) before the deadline becomes urgent.
AB 1572 Does Not Mean Every HOA Has to Remove All Its Grass
This is probably the biggest misconception.
The law does not simply say: “Remove all the grass.”
It applies to nonfunctional turf irrigated with potable water.
California law distinguishes nonfunctional turf from turf located in qualifying recreational-use areas and community spaces.
That can matter significantly in an HOA.
A narrow strip of grass along a parking lot that exists primarily for appearance may be treated very differently from a large lawn next to the clubhouse where residents gather, play or hold community events.
Likewise, a designated pet area, picnic space or recreational lawn may need to be evaluated differently from ornamental turf at an entry monument.
So the first question should not be:
“How much will it cost to replace all our grass?”
It should be:
“Which areas are actually affected?”
Same HOA. Two Very Different Costs.
Consider a hypothetical HOA with 10,000 square feet of turf.
The board contacts a landscape contractor and asks for an AB 1572 compliance proposal.
The contractor measures the lawn areas and proposes removing most of the turf, replacing irrigation, adding drought-tolerant landscaping and renovating the common areas.
The project comes back with a substantial six-figure price tag.
The board may naturally conclude:
“AB 1572 is going to cost our homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Maybe.
But now consider a different approach.
Before establishing the project budget, the association evaluates how each turf area is actually used.
Some areas are clearly ornamental.
Other areas are regularly used by residents for recreation or community gatherings.
There are mature trees within several turf areas that still require irrigation.
The association evaluates its existing irrigation system, obtains more than one landscape proposal, investigates available rebates and considers whether the work can be completed in phases.
The second financial plan could look dramatically different.
That does not mean the association should look for ways around the law.
It means the board should understand what actually needs to be done before deciding what homeowners need to pay for it.
Two Landscape Bids Can Be Very Different
Anyone who has dealt with construction or landscaping knows that two contractor bids can vary substantially.
One contractor may propose:
- Complete turf removal
- Extensive irrigation replacement
- New hardscape
- Premium plant materials
- Major soil preparation
- A complete community-wide conversion
Another may propose:
- Targeted turf removal
- Reusing portions of the existing irrigation system
- Drip conversion where appropriate
- Simpler plant materials
- Less hardscape
- Completing the project in phases
A $100,000 proposal and a $200,000 proposal are not necessarily competing bids if the contractors are proposing different scopes.
That is why a board should not simply take the first proposal it receives and build the HOA’s financial plan around it.
A contractor’s bid is an input into the financial plan. It should not automatically become the financial plan.
Don’t Forget About Trees and Irrigation
AB 1572 also does not mean HOAs should simply shut off irrigation wherever nonfunctional turf exists.
The law allows potable water to be used as necessary to maintain the health of trees and other perennial non-turf landscaping.
That can create an important practical issue.
Many established HOA trees are located within turf areas and may currently receive water from the same irrigation zones.
Removing the turf or shutting off those zones without understanding the irrigation system could create another expensive problem.
Associations may need to modify irrigation, separate zones or convert certain areas to drip systems while continuing to provide appropriate water to established trees and landscaping.
Again, the right solution requires understanding the property before determining the budget.
What Should the HOA Be Budgeting?
Once the association understands the scope of the work, the next issue is financial.
Boards should be asking:
- How much is the project likely to cost?
- Can the project be phased over several years?
- Are local turf-removal or landscape-conversion rebates available?
- What will happen to future water costs?
- Will future landscape maintenance costs increase or decrease?
- Does the HOA already have money available?
- Should the association begin accumulating funds now?
- How will the project affect homeowner assessments?
These questions become much easier to deal with when they are addressed several years in advance.
A board that starts planning now may have the ability to spread costs over multiple budget cycles.
A board that waits until late 2028 may have far fewer options.
Where Does the Reserve Study Fit In?
AB 1572 is a water-use law. It does not automatically dictate whether every landscape conversion project belongs in an HOA reserve study.
But significant future common-area expenditures should not simply be ignored.
Once the association develops a reasonable project scope and cost estimate, the board and its professional advisers should determine how that expense should be incorporated into the HOA’s financial planning.
Depending on the circumstances, that could involve the annual operating budget, reserve planning, a separate capital plan or some combination of those approaches.
The important point is simple:
A known future expense should not become a surprise future assessment.
Why California Builder Services Looks at the Whole Picture
California Builder Services provides both HOA Budget and Reserve Study services.
That matters with an issue like AB 1572 because the project cost is only part of the question.
We want to understand what is behind the number.
Is the entire proposed project actually necessary?
Are two contractor bids based on comparable scopes?
Is one proposal including improvements that go beyond basic compliance?
Can the project reasonably be phased?
Are rebates available?
Are there other planned landscape or irrigation projects that should be coordinated with this work?
How will the project affect the association’s budget and homeowner assessments?
Our goal is not to find the cheapest possible answer.
It is to help the association develop a realistic, supportable and practical financial plan.
Sometimes that means homeowners will need to contribute more.
But before asking them to do that, the board should understand why.
What HOA Boards Should Do Now
There is no reason to panic over the January 1, 2029 deadline.
There is also no reason to wait until 2028.
A good starting point is to:
- Identify common-area turf throughout the community.
- Determine how those areas are actually used.
- Identify which areas may qualify as nonfunctional turf.
- Understand which irrigation systems use potable water.
- Identify trees and landscaping that still require irrigation.
- Obtain professional recommendations and comparable contractor scopes.
- Investigate available rebates.
- Determine whether the work can be phased.
- Model the effect on the HOA budget and homeowner assessments.
The earlier the association understands the problem, the more options the board is likely to have.
The Bottom Line
AB 1572 does not simply mean:
“Rip out all the grass.”
For California HOAs, the better approach is:
Understand what the law affects. Determine what actually needs to change. Evaluate the available options. Then build the financial plan.
Two different landscape approaches can result in very different project costs.
Those differences eventually become homeowner dollars.
That is why boards should not start with the contractor’s price.
Start by understanding the problem.
California Builder Services can help associations evaluate how anticipated AB 1572 projects may affect their HOA budgets, reserve planning and future assessments.
Request an HOA Budget or Reserve Study proposal from California Builder Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does AB 1572 apply to California HOAs?
Beginning January 1, 2029, potable water generally may not be used to irrigate nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas.
Does AB 1572 require HOAs to remove all grass?
No. The law applies to nonfunctional turf irrigated with potable water. Qualifying recreational areas and community spaces are treated differently.
Can HOAs continue watering trees?
Yes. The law permits potable water to be used as necessary to maintain the health of trees and other perennial non-turf landscaping.
Should an HOA wait until 2028 to address AB 1572?
No. Associations that start earlier have more time to evaluate the affected areas, compare project scopes, investigate rebates, phase work and incorporate anticipated costs into future budgets.
Does AB 1572 require a landscape conversion project to be included in the reserve study?
Not automatically. The appropriate funding treatment depends on the nature of the project and the association’s circumstances. The important issue is making sure a significant anticipated expense is incorporated into the association’s overall financial planning.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Associations should consult qualified legal counsel and their local water agency regarding AB 1572 compliance for a specific property.
