As for Buffalograss, it will do well in areas of California with less than 25 inches of annual rainfall, which is a lot of the state.

Here is a passage from my book, An Organic Lawn Care Manual, that talks about Buffalograss:

Transition

Buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides — The state of Texas likes to lay claim to this American native, but it also grows naturally in many areas of the West and Midwest. Showing up in more and more university test trials, this will be one of the primary grasses we turn to in the future when the proverbial water well really does run dry.
Once it’s established, buffalograss can survive on little water and with virtually no extra nitrogen. It actually grows best in states with less than 25 inches of annual rainfall, which is the major limiting factor in why more of us don’t grow buffalograss in the East and Pacific Northwest. Uniform and attractive with a green to blue-green color, its mature height is only about six inches. Narrow leaves curl slightly downward, making it appear even shorter. It may not grow in as densely as Bermuda or St. Augustine, but the blades are more fine. I found it to be a far more pleasing turf overall.
If folks need to remember anything with this grass, it’s how to leave it alone. You can literally kill it with kindness. Give it too much water or fertilizer and the problems begin. If you mow it too often, you’re wasting your electricity or gas. That’s why some of the landscapers hate it!
When you’re shopping, look for varieties known as ‘609’ or ‘Stampede,’ which have come out of university breeding programs in recent years. Both spread fairly quickly and provide nice, full coverage.

Also, will Buffalograss do OK out here?