Drying clothes using nature’s dryer—the sun—is an easy way to reduce utility bill expenses and is environmentally friendly. However, residents in condominiums, cooperatives, and planned communities are not always allowed to take advantage of this practice. Homeowners associations and unit owners associations across the country have historically fought to ban outdoor clotheslines and drying racks, citing the unsightliness of the practice as damaging to the orderly appearance of these communities.
 
I am introducing a bill to address this issue. My legislation will ensure residents who live in a condominium, cooperative, or planned community the right to outdoor solar access for drying laundry using a clothesline or drying rack, with reasonable restrictions such as limiting the use of these items to backyard areas, maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the community.
 
Currently, twenty states have passed legislation ensuring the right to use the sun to dry clothes. It is time for our state to join their ranks in allowing this cost-effective and sustainable practice. Encouraging Pennsylvanians to practice sustainability grows more crucial every day. Please join me in supporting this legislation.