Press Release

Legislative veteran Hardeman joins California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors

CalHFA's newest member was Chief of Staff for Senate President pro Tempore Atkins until 2024

May 23, 2025

SACRAMENTO — The California Housing Finance Agency is honored to welcome Nicholas Hardeman, a former fixture in the California Legislature, to its Board of Directors.

Hardeman was appointed to the position by Governor Newsom on Thursday.

"You would be hard pressed to find someone who has accomplished more as a legislative staffer and chief of staff in the past 20 years than Nicholas Hardeman," said CalHFA Chief Deputy Director Rebecca Franklin.

Now the Principal at Hardeman Strategies and Consulting, CalHFA's newest Board Member was Chief of Staff for Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins from 2016 to 2024, providing counsel to one of the Senate's biggest housing champions through an incredible list of accomplishments.

"We look forward to working with Member Hardeman, who comes to us after having a hand in the passage of Senate Bill 2, the permanent source of funding for affordable housing that led to the creation of CalHFA's Mixed-Income Program, and helping to get California Dream For All into the state budget, among many other legislative achievements during his time working with Senator Atkins," Franklin said.

Hardeman held several positions in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2016, including Chief of Staff to Speaker Atkins, Special Assistant to Speaker John Pérez, and Chief of Staff to Speaker pro Tempore Fiona Ma. He is currently the Vice Chair of the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors.

"I am thrilled to join the Board of Directors at CalHFA, which I know to be an extremely important element in the state’s ongoing effort to addresses the housing issues that plague families all over California," Hardeman said, "I hope that my experience over the past two decades, both in policy and relationship-building, will be a valuable addition to the Agency.

Hardeman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Government in Politics from Saint Mary's College of California. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation.

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The California Housing Finance Agency was created in 1975 with the goal of helping more Californians find a place to call home. CalHFA has helped more than 226,000 low- and moderate-income homebuyers with $40.1 billion in first mortgages and used $11.4 billion in financing for the construction and preservation of more than 82,000 rental housing units throughout the state. CalHFA is a self-supported state agency that doesn't rely on taxpayer dollars for its operational costs but is currently administering various state and federal resources on behalf of the state through targeted programs. For more information on CalHFA programs, and how we are investing in diverse California communities, visit www.calhfa.ca.gov or call toll free at 877.9.CalHFA (877.922.5432).

Contact: Chris Saur
Phone: 916.326.8604

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