When Gov. Jerry Brown called on drought-weary Californians to reconsider their love of thirsty, nonnative landscaping, some businesses and homeowners responded by tearing out their once-cherished lawns.
Additional motivation for swapping out grass for drought-resistant plants came in the form of cash rebates offered by local governments and water agencies.
Yet barely a month after officials at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California approved an additional $350 million in rebate funds, they ended the program Thursday. All of the money, they said, was spoken for.
"We didn't predict just how popular turf rebates would become," said MWD General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger.