Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Turf rebate incentive programs have recently been a popular tool used by water providers to promote behavior that will lead to water conservation and a more sustainable future in drought sensitive areas. While these programs have seen various levels of success and criticism, there is still much to be learned. Drought, state mandated water reductions, and increased public awareness will continue to place turf rebate programs as an important policy tool in consideration of water conservation. The focus of this research is to gain a better understanding of the household decision to apply, or not to apply, for turf rebate incentive programs. Specifically, I am interested in two main research questions:

1). What are the household level predictors of adoption in turf replacement programs?

2). What role, if any, do spatial patterns and peer effects play in the household application to turf rebate programs?

I am hopeful that this research project will provide insight not only into the recent turf rebate program in Southern California, but also provide valuable information for future implementation and design of incentive based programs. The research design and methodology incorporates a combination of turf rebate application data, property data, and voter data for Los Angeles county; and will utilize regression analysis and spatial analysis, via arcgis, in order to analyze potential peer affects, spatial patterns, and household level variables related to the uptake of turf rebates. This research is part of a larger research project titled “Is the Grass Always Greener on the Other Side” which is being undertaken as part of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s World Water Forum College Grant Program.