California leads the nation in water conservation and cultivating drought tolerant landscaping. With a predicted major wildfire season upon us, we may have to conserve even more water than usual. For more than 27 years landscape architect and designer Jeff Smith of JMS Design Associates has created beautiful landscapes while considering water use. His full-service, Westside Los Angeles firm handles all aspects of landscaping from design plans to installation.

I met Jeff more than 15 years ago: I continue to be inspired by his gorgeous landscapes that are mindful of our specific Southern California environment.  Follows are Jeff’s answers to my questions on how homeowners can adapt to drought conditions and his valuable tips for eco-smart and attractive drought tolerant landscaping.

For more information on how to prepare for fire season (and P.S. now is the ideal time to review your homeowner’s policy and coverage) read my fire safety tips for homeowners.

Drought seems to be a new normal, so what can homeowners do to keep a beautiful landscape while conserving water?

Doing away with and replacing conventional sprinkler heads that broadcast a tremendous amount of water into the atmosphere is a first step that homeowners can take in the effort to keep a beautiful landscape.  Implement the use of drip irrigation into your flowerbeds and container plantings.  The rate that water is delivered is so minimal via drip irrigation, approximately .0.9 gallons per hour. Change out old irrigation valves with newer ones that have a pressure regulating device incorporated into the valve so the water is delivered through the drip tubing to the plants at a very low rate, which allows for it to seep into the soil instead of running onto the sidewalk and into the street.

Consider implementing MP Rotator nozzle-style heads in your hillside planting areas for ground covers and erosion controlling shrubs. These kinds of irrigation heads distribute water in a fine fingerlike spray at a low rate that allows for the water to percolate into the soil below the plants instead of running off.

What are your tips on when and how to water a landscape?

For plant health and sustainability, always water established landscapes in the very early morning.  Water can start to be applied to planting beds and turf grasses as early as 4:00am. Run the system based on the guidelines that have been established by your specific municipality.

What do you think of rain barrels and other on-property collection systems?

Rain barrels that collect water during times of heavy precipitation are great ways to collect water for use during the warmer days of the year. I would use it on ornamental plantings but would hesitate to use it on organic vegetable plots as the water that runs into them from a roof or gutter could have some harmful trace elements from the atmosphere, vehicular exhaust emissions, soot, etc.

What are your thoughts on irrigating using gray water? 

Gray water from your washing machine is a great way to use less water and help to keep your garden lush and green. However, the tricky part about its use is the delivery system once it leaves the house. You have to direct it via flexible tubing to a space that you actually wish to water.

Which plants are the most drought tolerant? Do we have to rip everything out and replant? And if we do replant, what do you recommend?  

I think that there are ways to gradually move an existing landscape’s planting towards a more drought tolerant one. Start with your main anchor element plants that frame the picture, and then slowly over time eliminate and replace smaller foundation plantings with less thirsty shrubs.  Try incorporating more native grasses into the planting design. Native grasses to consider are: Canyon Prince (Leymus condensatus), Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), Curly top sedge (Carex buchananii) or Pink Muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capillaris).

Use ample amounts of mulch over exposed soil in planting beds to keep down the weeds. Mulch helps retain the water in the soil after watering and it looks a lot better than just exposed dirt.  Limit the amount of grass you have in your design or take it out completely.

I’ve seen so many lawns replaced with fake lawns (and some versions look good), but I’ve heard that it may not be the solution it is supposed to be.  What do you think?   

At the beginning when artificial turf started to gain in popularity many people dove in and installed it. But research has found that the artificial grass heats up, retains heat and actually makes the space that it surrounds hotter.  So I have shifted my position on it. I think it is a great solution in shady areas where natural turf will not grow due to low light.

If someone is going to remove a lawn from their existing landscape, I would like to see some attractive planting combinations of grasses, succulents and California native shrubs composed together and then add big swath of a drought tolerant groundcover like Lippia nodiflora, more commonly known as Kurapia.  Now we are very careful when we specify artificial turf into a landscape.  We certainly do not want to contribute to our environmental problem of global warming.

Did you know that households in California must now contribute actively to a greener future?  As of January 2022, Californians are required to compost their food waste and food soiled paper (think pizza boxes and coffee filters). These efforts will divert tons of food waste from local landfills, reducing methane gas and creating organic compost, which recycles important nutrients back into the soil when applied. Plant and food waste in landfills contributes to global warming: as they decompose, the potent greenhouse gas methane is produced. Diverting food waste to compost facilities or a home composter allows the materials to break down organically.

Both businesses and residents must compost food scraps per SB 1383. Former Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law in 2016; municipalities and waste management services and utilities are striving to comply. Full compliance is mandated by 2024 when fines and enforcement will go into effect initially on the municipal level. Depending on where you live, food waste can be added to weekly yard waste pick-ups, saved for local composting organizations (LACompost organizes farmer’s market drop-offs) or if you’re the DIY-type, composted at home.

LA Sanitation and Environment offers free home composting and gardening seminars to those who want to learn more and dig deeper into the process, which begins at the kitchen counter. Nifty compost pails, 100% compostable bags (BioBag and EcoSafe are two popular brands) or even paper bags can be used to collect scraps, unwanted leftovers or spoiled foods. Compostable paper towels, napkins, paper plates, coffee filters and tea bags are among the non-food items that can also be recycled this way.

You can place food scraps directly into your kitchen food scrap container or you can line it with a paper bag. Regular plastic bags aren’t recyclable per se; if you must use a bag to transport, 100% compostable bags are recommended. Some Calif. municipalities like Napa have robust food waste recycling programs already in place; Los Angeles began a pilot program (distributing compost pails to 18,000 households) allowing residents to combine food debris into their 90-gallon green yard waste containers. LA County residents can also participate in food waste recycling. In Beverly Hills, food scraps can be co-mingled with yard waste in the large green bins.

Diverting food scraps from landfills is an easy way to contribute to improving the environment one household or business at a time.

AN UPDATE ON THE WESTSIDE’S RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET

With all the concerning economic data being reported, the number one question I’m getting is, “How is this impacting our local real estate market?” I’ve noticed two things that I haven’t seen since the pandemic started: more houses for sale and more reductions in asking prices.

According to Market Quest, Beverly Hills had a 21% increase in the number of properties for sale in May over April. Westwood, Brentwood and Hancock Park (based on zip codes 90024, 90049 and 90020) show inventory growing by 3%, 12% and 10% respectively.

From the Multiple Listing Service, the percentage of homes currently on the market or in escrow, which have taken a price reduction are: 26% in Beverly Hills, 9% in Westwood (90024), 16% in Brentwood (90049) and 33% in Hancock Park (90020).

There is still a lot of pent-up buyer demand. The market is at an inflection point moving from being a hot seller’s market to, hopefully, a better balance of power between buyers and sellers. Stay tuned!

As always, I’m here to answer your questions regarding the residential real estate market. And on request, I’m happy to send you a link to my comprehensive Historic Home Report.

There are some tax advantages available to property owners who buy and restore historic homes and commercial buildings in Los Angeles. I’ve developed a primer to explain these common terms associated with historic preservation in California. These terms are often misunderstood: the Ellis Act, Mills Act, Mello-Roos and adaptive reuse.

As always, if you have a question regarding the sale of your home or questions regarding possible property tax savings and credits, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m pleased to share information and investigate any concerns when you buy or sell a home in Los Angeles.

What is California’s Ellis Act?

The Ellis Act is a 1985 California state law, which allows landlords to evict tenants in rent stabilized units in order to take the building out of the rental business or demolish the building entirely. It most often has been applied to older properties and those with long-term tenants covered by rent stabilization ordinances. Lawmakers in Los Angeles, San Francisco and elsewhere in California have pushed back against so-called Ellis Act evictions and there are many rules surrounding the process. Initially, the Ellis Act was intended to help “mom and pop” landlords who wanted to exit the rental business.

What is the Mills Act?

The Mills Act is a 1972 California state law allowing cities to enter into contracts with homeowners to provide property tax relief and reductions, provided historic structures were restored and maintained following Department of the Interior standards. A homeowner in Los Angeles must apply for a Mills Act reduction through the city’s Office of Historic Resources. The annual application process begins in January and homeowners must propose a preservation plan in order to be considered and approved for a property tax reduction. Contributing structures in a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) and designated City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments are among the buildings eligible for this program.

What is Mello-Roos? Why does Mello-Roos matter to home buyers in Los Angeles?

If you’ve read any information or a listing on a residential property, you may have noticed an indication whether or not the property covered by Mello-Roos. A YES answer means the property is subject to a special property tax lien or bonded debt established by a city, county or other entity. Once a Mello-Roos Community Facilities District (CFD) is established, it allows for the financing of public works and services; it is often utilized for the improvement of public works (streets, sewer systems and other infrastructure updates) and civic works such schools, parks and cultural facilities.

These special property taxes typically have a time frame or will be reduced after a certain number of years. A seller must make a good faith effort to disclose if their residential property is in a CFD and subject to a Mello-Roos special tax.

What is the adaptive reuse ordinance?

In Los Angeles, the adaptive reuse ordinance allows for historic commercial buildings to be converted into other uses such as residences, live/work spaces, condominiums and hotels. Building and zoning requirements were changed and streamlined to encourage the preservation and remodeling of underutilized historic buildings and thus jumpstart downtown’s revitalization. Downtown Los Angeles is the shining star of adaptive reuse.