Press Releases
American Journal News: “Throughout his career, the real estate and construction lobby has been Miyares’ second-largest contributor, giving a combined $2.3 million to his campaigns and groups supporting him.”
Norfolk, VA – New reporting shows that throughout his career, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares “made $2.5 million from a family rental company accused of slumlord practices.”
Before serving as AG, Miyares “defended landlords whose tenants complained of mold and roach infestations,” including representing his mother-in-law’s real estate firm, Atkinson Realty. Tenants “describe Atkinson properties as dirty and unsafe,” with reviews detailing years of complaints, from exposed nails to bedbugs and dead smoke detectors.
As Attorney General, Miyares has done little to protect renters. According to the article, “one of Miyares’ first acts… was to fire Helen Hardiman, an assistant attorney general in the Office of Civil Rights focused on litigating housing discrimination cases” – including investigating Southwood apartments in Richmond, where tenants “are dealing with infestations of rats, roaches, and mold.” Despite claiming his office is still investigating, “residents say they have received no further communication about their case.
Read more below.
American Journal News: Miyares’ record shows a long history of siding with landlords over renters
Jesse Valentine | October 16, 2025
Before he was Virginia attorney general, Jason Miyares defended landlords whose tenants complained of mold and roach infestations. He has continued to side with big real estate over renters in his political career.
This work was done for Atkinson Realty, which offers short- and long-term rentals in Virginia Beach. The company is run by Miyares’ mother-in-law, Elizabeth Atkinson, and has employed both his wife and brother-in-law.
Miyares was Atkinson Realty’s attorney in a 2016 civil suit that resulted in a couple being evicted from their home. His firm, Hangar Law, represented the company in a similar suit that same year.
Several Google and Yelp reviews describe Atkinson Realty properties as dirty and unsafe. In a 2022 review, a short-term tenant said her brother cut his leg on an exposed nail. In another from 2013, a renter said that three of her unit’s four smoke detectors had dead batteries, which is a violation of state law.
Another review from 2014 complained of bedbugs.
“Our nightmare began on Monday the 19th when I noticed bumps on my chest,” the reviewer wrote. “I didn’t think nothing of it until later that night when my son saw bugs on the master bed. My family and I could not pack up and get out of that unit fast enough.”
In 2017, a tenant sued Atkinson Realty, claiming they became sick from mold in a unit’s HVAC system. The suit was settled out of court. Google reviews from 2017 and 2020 also noted mold in Atkinson Realty rentals.
Despite these subpar conditions, Atkinson Realty has been extremely litigious, frequently taking tenants to court over relatively small sums of money.
Miyares reported that he and his wife earned $250,000 annually from Atkinson Realty between 2014 and 2024, totaling $2.5 million.
Miyares was elected attorney general in 2021. In May 2024, he hired Ryan Ferguson, another former Atkinson Realty attorney, to serve as his office’s general counsel.
One of Miyares’ first acts as attorney general was to fire Helen Hardiman, an assistant attorney general in the Office of Civil Rights focused on litigating housing discrimination cases.
At the time she was fired, Hardiman was managing 20 court cases and had just begun investigating the Communities at Southwood apartments in Richmond, where the primarily Latino tenants say they are dealing with infestations of rats, roaches, and mold.
Miyares’ office says the inquiry into the Communities at Southwood is still open, but residents say they have received no further communication about their case, nor has Miyares committed to meeting with them.
Throughout his career, the real estate and construction lobby has been Miyares’ second-largest contributor, giving a combined $2.3 million to his campaigns and groups supporting him.
Elizabeth Atkinson has contributed $36,020 to just his attorney general campaigns.
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