I came across this interesting article this week in USA Today. In this era of economic and environmental consciousness it is amazing that many Home Owners Associations make the age old art of air-drying clothes against the rules. I shouldn’t be too surprised, my own HOA has the same language almost all modern subdivisions do regarding clotheslines. Considering that an average of 5%, or $80 dollars a year, of all household electricity goes toward drying machines it is a shame that families that wish to dry their clothes naturally cannot, without fear of fines or letters.
Project Laundry List (at www.laundrylist.org) is a non-profit organization aimed at “making air-drying and cold-water washing laundry acceptable and desirable as simple and effective ways to save energy.”
This issue has become so entangled that several states have been forced to step in over the past years and pass laws protecting homeowners right to clotheslines.
I remember growing up with jeans and shirts that weren’t the softest because my mom dried the laundry outdoors. I remember having to help her get the clothes in quickly when a pop up rainstorm was coming and the laundry was still outside. I remember neighbors hanging their laundry outdoors too. But I never remember it being a problem. I grew up in a suburban neighborhood with 1/4 – 2/3 acre lots but it never seemed to be a problem.
Today, HOA’s are put in place before a community is even built, by the home builder, to protect their investment before the neighborhood is complete. Obviously when someone is looking to buy a new homes seeing someone’s undies might be a turnoff, but there are options that can appease everyone. What is most amazing is the most unique clothesline options were found on Australian websites.
Retractable Clotheslines: 
Fixed Folding Frame Clotheslines: 
Freestanding Folding Frame Clotheslines: 
As these options and others arise, energy costs increase, and environmental awareness becomes more mainstream I’m sure HOAs and neighborhoods will warm up to the idea of clotheslines again.
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Yeah, this is one of those nonsensical, yet strangely pervasive, ideas.
Perhaps cloths line restrictions were originally a proxy for keeping low-income people out, making the assumption that anyone using a cloths line may not be able to afford a dryer. Of course, these days, that connection doesn’t carry much water. Most people are using lines for environmental reasons, instead of out of necessity. I expect the rules to change to reflect this.