April 2015 Archives

Santa Clara Valley Ups the Ante on Lawn Conversions

Today the Santa Clara Valley Water District announced an increase in the dollar value of their Landscape Conversion Rebate. Eligible property owners who choose to replace "highly irrigated landscape" (such as turf lawns) with drought-tolerant alternatives will be paid $2 per square foot of property so converted. 

The rebate applies to residential (single- and multi-family), commercial, and institutional properties with a minimum of 75 sq. ft. of "converted area." The new landscape must include minimum 50% coverage of the area with living water-efficient plants when the plants are fully grown. To determine coverage value, consult the SCVWD Qualifying Plant List.

We salute the courage and vision of the Santa Clara Valley Water District in compelling local property owners towards a more drought-tolerant future.  Need help converting your landscape and applying for your rebate?  Call us.

CaliforniaFIRST Launches in San Francisco

Madrono Landscape Design Studio is a registered contractor with the CaliforniaFIRST financing programCaliforniaFIRST, the government-supported PACE financing program for sustainable energy projects, is now available to property owners in San Francisco.  Eligible landscape improvements include drip irrigation, low-voltage LED lighting, solar panels, greywater systems, and stormwater capture and reuse programs, a particular specialty of Madroño Landscape Design Studio.  


The program will finance 100% of qualified project expenses, up to $200,000 or 15% of the property value (whichever is less), with no out-of-pocket cost to the client.  The loan balance is applied to the property, not to the borrower, and payments are tied to property taxes, paid only twice per year. The underwriters do not look at FICO score, debt-to-income ratio, or personal income, and the application process can be done over the phone with approval rendered immediately.  By reducing annual energy bills and increasing property values, the program essentially pays for itself.

CaliforniaFIRST offers such favorable terms as incentive for property owners to make the physical improvements now that will lead us into a more sustainable tomorrow. It is a win-win proposition, and Madroño is proud to be a certified contractor on the CaliforniaFIRST team.  

We encourage interested local property owners to contact us today and get started.