Virginia’s newly formed Public Advocacy Division is drawing attention following the appointment of Helen Hardiman, a former federal housing official whose prior work is now under renewed scrutiny.

Hardiman was selected to lead the division under Attorney General Jay Jones, where she will oversee civil rights enforcement and related policy initiatives. According to Jones’ office, the division is tasked with addressing a range of legal matters tied to public advocacy and enforcement priorities.

Before joining the state, Hardiman worked as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Enforcement Division between 2022 and 2025. In that role, she advised on fair housing policies and enforcement actions, including guidance related to federal nondiscrimination rules.

Her tenure at HUD has become a focal point of criticism, particularly regarding policies tied to gender identity in housing. Federal guidance during that period emphasized that individuals should be permitted to self-identify their gender without being required to provide documentation or medical records.

Hardiman’s professional background also includes work in Virginia’s Attorney General’s Office under former Attorney General Mark Herring, where she contributed to updates to the state’s Fair Housing Law. Those changes expanded protections to include categories such as sexual orientation and gender identity, which she previously described as “historic.”

Supporters of Hardiman’s appointment point to her experience in civil rights enforcement and housing law, emphasizing her background in addressing discrimination and advising on national policy. Her state profile notes she “advised Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity offices across the country, drafted legal opinions and regulatory guidance, and counseled Department leadership on high-impact fair housing issues.”

Critics, however, argue her federal work reflects an expansive approach to regulation that could influence state-level enforcement. Howard Husock, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said, “Any ‘civil rights enforcement’ that goes beyond traditional fair housing tests [for] racial and ethnic discrimination will mean state or federal involvement in local land use and zoning decisions that really don’t involve ‘fair housing’ — such as where to permit construction of schools, libraries and supermarkets.”

Jones’ office did not respond to requests for comment regarding the appointment, and Hardiman has not publicly addressed the criticism. (RELATED: Spanberger Called Out for Taking Credit for Jobs She Didn’t Create)

The appointment comes as Virginia’s leadership continues to shape its policy direction under Gov. Abigail Spanberger, with the new division expected to play a role in how civil rights laws are interpreted and enforced across the state.

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