Own a single-family home? AB 356 does not apply to you. The SNWA rebate still pays $5 per square foot to replace your lawn —see the homeowner rebate guide.
Nevada’s AB 356 prohibits nonfunctional turf at commercial, multi-family, government and HOA-managed properties in the Las Vegas Valley as of January 1, 2027. Single-family homes are not covered. Affected properties must remove qualifying grass, obtain a waiver, or fall out of compliance. SNWA rebates currently cover $5 per square foot for the first 10,000 square feet.
What counts as nonfunctional turf
Nonfunctional turf is grass that exists to be looked at rather than used. Under AB 356 that includes:
- Streetscape turf — grass along streets, medians and parking areas.
- Frontage, courtyard, interior and building-adjacent turf at non-single-family properties.
- HOA-managed landscape areas that provide no recreational benefit.
What stays: functional turf at schools and parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, golf courses and designated recreation areas. If residents actually use it for recreation, it likely qualifies as functional.
If your board thinks the turf is functional
A waiver is available where turf substantially complies with the functional turf definition. That’s a documentation exercise — showing use, access and recreational purpose — and it’s worth pursuing before assuming removal is the only option.
If Your Board Thinks the Turf Is Functional
A waiver may be available when turf substantially complies with SNWA’s definition of functional turf. Determining whether an area qualifies involves documenting its use, access, and recreational purpose, so removal may not always be the only option.
TaylorMade Landscapes® can assist your HOA with reviewing potentially functional turf areas and organizing the documentation needed for a waiver request. We help your board understand which areas may qualify and coordinate the landscape planning process around the approved areas.
Before moving forward, we recommend confirming current waiver requirements and eligibility directly with SNWA.
Think some of your community’s turf may qualify as functional? Contact TaylorMade Landscapes® to review your property and discuss your options.
What it costs a community, and what comes back
For HOA, business and multi-family properties the rebate pays $5 per square foot on the first 10,000 square feet and $1.50 per square foot beyond that, per property per fiscal year — plus $100 for every new tree planted, up to full canopy coverage.
The fiscal year reset matters for large communities: a property with 40,000 square feet of qualifying turf gets a materially better return by phasing the conversion across fiscal years than by doing it all in one.
What Should Your HOA Budget for Turf Conversion?
As a preliminary planning range, HOA boards should consider budgeting approximately $7–$15 per square foot for a professionally designed and installed water-efficient landscape conversion.
Your actual cost can vary based on the existing landscape, turf removal, irrigation modifications, plant material, decorative rock, hardscape, site access, drainage, and the overall design.
For example, a 10,000-square-foot conversion could have an estimated project cost of approximately $70,000–$150,000 before applicable rebates. This gives your board a starting point for establishing a capital-improvement budget.
Can a Large Community Phase Its Conversion?
For large communities, the SNWA rebate is calculated on a per-property, per-fiscal-year basis, so the timing of a multi-phase project can affect the potential rebate amount. However, HOA boards should confirm any proposed multi-year phasing strategy directly with SNWA before approving the project based on expected rebate savings.
TaylorMade Landscapes® can help your board evaluate the landscape scope, develop a phased construction plan, and build a realistic project budget. We recommend obtaining written confirmation from SNWA regarding the proposed phasing and rebate treatment before relying on those savings in your budget.
How a community conversion runs
- Site walk and turf inventory — TaylorMade Landscapes® handles this step. We walk the property, measure existing turf areas, identify potentially qualifying areas, and flag areas that may be exempt or require additional review.
- Design and board submittal — We also handle the landscape design and submittal materials. We create the landscape plan, including 3D renderings, plant selections, hardscape details, and a materials schedule, so your architectural committee and board can review the proposed improvements.
- SNWA application and pre-conversion site visit — before any grass comes out. We manage the SNWA application process end to end. TaylorMade Landscapes® helps coordinate the information required for the SNWA Water Smart Landscapes Rebate and assists with the pre-conversion process. The required SNWA site visit must take place before qualifying turf is removed, so we help keep the project moving in the correct order.
- Conversion — We took care of the conversion and installation. Our team manages turf removal, irrigation modifications, drip irrigation, soil preparation, desert landscape installation, decorative rock, and other improvements included in the approved design. We design the landscape to meet applicable SNWA requirements, including the 50% mature plant coverage standard where required.
- Post-conversion inspection, easement, rebate. TaylorMade Landscapes®helps coordinate the final steps. After installation, we assist with coordinating the post-conversion inspection and the documentation required to complete the rebate process. Your HOA has one landscape partner coordinating the project instead of having to manage multiple contractors and administrative steps independently.
One Team. From Turf Assessment to Rebate.
Out team manages the landscape work and coordinates the SNWA process so your HOA board doesn’t have to manage the project alone.
Planning a community-wide turf conversion? Let’s evaluate your property and build a clear plan for your board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AB 356 apply to single-family homes?
What is the AB 356 deadline?
What happens if a community misses it?
Can we keep grass residents actually use?
How long does a community conversion take?
Does AB 356 apply to single-family homes?
No. Single-family residences are excluded from the prohibition. Homeowners can still claim the SNWA rebate voluntarily.
What is the AB 356 deadline?
January 1, 2027.
What happens if a community misses it?
Nevada law prohibits the use of Colorado River water supplied by the Southern Nevada Water Authority or its member agencies to irrigate nonfunctional turf at properties that are not zoned exclusively for single-family residences beginning January 1, 2027. This includes applicable business, commercial, multifamily, HOA, government, and other non-single-family properties. Read the Nevada AB 356 statute
If your community still has turf that may be classified as nonfunctional, the important step is to determine what areas are subject to the law and what areas may qualify as functional turf or for a waiver.
SNWA’s published guidance does not clearly spell out a specific enforcement sequence or penalty schedule for a property that misses the deadline. We therefore don’t want to speculate about what enforcement action may occur.
What is clear is that the law restricts the use of Colorado River water to irrigate nonfunctional turf beginning January 1, 2027. SNWA also provides definitions for functional and nonfunctional turf and a process for requesting a waiver for qualifying functional turf. SNWA Laws & Ordinances
Don’t Wait Until the Deadline
If your HOA or community has substantial turf, now is the time to determine which areas may be affected, evaluate potential functional-turf exemptions or waivers, and develop a conversion plan.
TaylorMade Landscapes can help your board assess the landscape, develop a conversion plan, and coordinate the SNWA rebate process.
Can we keep grass residents actually use?
Functional and recreational turf is exempt, and a waiver process exists for borderline areas.
How long does a community conversion take?
SNWA allows 12 months from project approval to completion for an approved Water Smart Landscapes project.
For a community with approximately 10,000–25,000 square feet of qualifying turf, TaylorMade Landscapes typically plans for approximately 2–4 months for the landscape conversion, depending on the project’s design, approvals, site conditions, materials, and construction requirements.
Larger communities may require additional time or phased construction. We work with your HOA board to establish a project schedule based on the property’s actual scope and coordinate the work to keep the conversion moving toward completion within the applicable SNWA timeframe.
Planning a larger community conversion? Contact TaylorMade Landscapes to discuss your property’s timeline and project scope.
Contact Taylormade Landscapes® Today
Book a turf inventory walk for your community. We’ll measure what qualifies, model the rebate, and give your board a budget figure before the 2027 deadline forces the timeline.
Last updated: 7 September 2026.
Rebate rates verified against SNWA
on this date. Rates are set per fiscal year (1 July – 30 June) and may change.