Virginia work group reviews bill to allow amateur radio antennas in private communities

The Local Land Use and Community Living Work Group of the Virginia Housing Commission heard detailed testimony on House Bill 2542, a proposal to prevent homeowners associations (HOAs) and similar covenants from prohibiting homeowners from installing amateur radio antennas on the portions of property they control.

Proponents said amateur radio can be vital in emergencies and is already regulated at the federal level. "Amateur radio is also considered critical infrastructure," Delegate Holly Seabold told the group, noting past emergency uses including Hurricane Katrina and the Boston Marathon response. Ben Hofstatter, a licensed operator, said the American Radio Relay League estimates roughly 21,000 licensed amateur radio operators live in Virginia and that trained operators routinely provide free emergency communications when other systems fail: "Even if internet service, power lines, and phone lines are…