LA HABRA : Drying Clothes in the Front Yard Won’t Wash

Even though the City Council has adopted an ordinance allowing residents to use clotheslines, it banned any clothes drying on front yards.

The move, which Councilman William D. Mahoney said will keep La Habra from “oppressing poor people,” is being seen the opposite way by residents who heard of the new law this week.

“We are already poor. A lot of people will continue drying their clothes in their front yards because they have no place else to dry their clean clothes,” said Juan Maciel, a longtime Grace Avenue resident. “The city is making life even tougher for poor people. Not only can we not afford to buy dryers, but now we won’t be able to pay the fines if we get cited for drying our clothes.”

City Manager Lee Risner said it is unlikely the city will fine residents for violating the new law and that if people are caught drying laundry on front yards, the city “will do whatever it can to help the residents solve the problem.”

Council members had postponed voting on the ordinance five times since July, when outraged residents accused them of trying to discriminate against the poor. The original ordinance proposed banning clotheslines in front and side yards visible from the street.

The law prohibits people from drying clothes on front yards altogether. But most residents will be allowed to dry clothes on side yards, city officials said.

“A lot has been made of the clothesline situation,” Mahoney said at last week’s council meeting. “We’re just going to have to learn that you can’t make everybody buy dryers. . . . I don’t want to go out and tell poor people, ‘You can’t dry clothes.’ Let’s just say what we’re trying to say.”

While some residents dislike the ordinance and predict that it will cause financial hardships, others are happy it will allow them to continue drying their clothes on their side yards.

“I’m glad I’ll still be able to dry my clothes on the fence beside my home,” said Carmen Reyes, who had opposed the original ordinance. “At least I’ll be able to do that.”