Program Outline/Guidelines - Tucson HOA Landscape Transformation Program

For HOA commercial customers of the City of Tucson Water Service that want to replace high water-use plants and turf with native and desert-adapted, low water-use plants.

WE HAVE REACHED OUR TARGET HOA PARTICIPATION GOAL FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WITH PLANS TO ACCEPT MORE APPLICATIONS BY MID-2024

What are the goals of the program? 

The initial goal is to provide a financial incentive to motivate HOAs that have a predominance of high water-use plants or turf to get started on transforming their landscapes - which begins with a Landscape Design Plan.

Program Outline/Guidelines (5 Phases):

Communication, education and PLANNING are critical.  These guidelines are meant to assist the HOA board to successfully navigate through the transformation process. 

Phase One

Outreach, Education, Application

• The UArizona/Pima County Cooperative Extension/Smartscape Program (sponsored by City of Tucson Water) will provide:
  • Outreach support, education resources/materials regarding the program’s objectives and benefits to HOAs and Property Management companies.  Click here for details.
  • 3-part Smartscape HOA community education course (board representative attendance required before an HOA applies for the program).
• Application - See "How to Apply - Preview"
• Review and acceptance by Tucson Water
• Letter of Understanding between Tucson Water and HOA Board

Phase Two

Consensus (Majority Agreement) - When an HOA has applied for and been accepted into the program.

• The HOA board selects a Landscape Transformation Project Manager/Champion (PM). 
  • PM could be, for instance:
    • Provided by the landscape design/architecture firm (in which case Smartscape certificate is optional).
    • HOA board member or resident with expertise. Smartscape certificate required
    • Property mgmt. representative. Smartscape certificate required
    • Landscape construction or maintenance professional. Smartscape certificate required
• Smartscape provides, to the PM, tools to facilitate community discussions, surveys, consensus building and goal setting.
• PM sends out a resident survey and works with the HOA to reach consensus (majority agreement) and set goals that will be used to create a Design Plan (Phase Three).

Phase Three

Team Selection and Design Plan

• The HOA will select the:
  • Landscape Architect/Designer
  • Landscape Installation Contractor (or may be design/build)
  • Landscape Maintenance Contractor (Smartscape certificates required). 
    • All contractors must meet the following
      • Landscape Professional Eligibility Requirements
    • RFP & Contract templates provided by Smartscape.
• Landscape Architect/Designer creates the Landscape Design Plan that will be used to develop a Phased Implementation Plan (Phase Four).
• Funding is released to the HOA by Tucson Water upon completion of the Landscape Design Plan.

Phase Four

Implementation

• Designer or builder works with HOA and PM to create the Phased Implementation Schedule based on the Landscape Design Plan.
• PM and HOA will implement the phased plan for Construction, and Maintenance.
• Professional review of Requests for Proposal and Scopes of Work required and provided by Tucson Water.

Phase Five

Follow-Through and Follow-Up

• The PM will monitor contractors to ensure they are meeting performance targets and expectations.
• Smartscape will provide select further education/training if needed, i.e., for volunteer landscape maintenance review committees and (regularly scheduled) Smartscape: A Training Program for Landscape Professionals and Advanced Smartscape courses.

• Ongoing monitoring of water-use and maintenance practices must show measurable reduction in water-use.