$100K in Travel and an Ethics Probe: How Portland’s Housing Leader is the New Head of Pittsburgh’s Public Housing System

Mathews brings extensive experience leading other large housing authorities across different states. She is also a member of the board of governors for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. Her personal website highlights her leadership roles and consulting work. However, the optics of her previous travel expenditures in Portland provide a contrast to the financial challenges faced by the Pittsburgh housing authority.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh operates on a massive scale. The agency has hundreds of employees and a budget of $255 million for 2027. Much of this funding comes from the federal government. Between traditional public housing units and its Housing Choice Voucher program, the agency is responsible for housing approximately 18,000 Pittsburghers. The agency is also a Moving to Work agency, a federal designation held by a small number of housing authorities nationwide. This status grants participating agencies greater flexibility in how they use federal funds.

The board’s resolution did not specify the salary Mathews will receive. Her first day on the job is set for October 1. Her hiring comes at a time when the agency seeks a fresh start. Several local affordable housing advocates welcomed the change in leadership. Carol Hardeman, executive director of the Hill District Consensus Group, stated that the agency bears the responsibility of being a good landlord for all public housing tenants. She expressed hope for a fresh start and ensuring tenants are at the heart of the agency’s work.

Maddy McGrady, co-chair of the advocacy group the Pittsburgh Housing Justice Table, echoed this sentiment. She wrote that new leadership is an opportunity to ensure communities guide the direction of the housing authority. She looks forward to working with Mathews to increase the supply of publicly owned and financed units.

Mathews took over after Caster Binion, who led the agency for more than ten years, departed at the end of September. Board members thanked Binion for his service, with Janet Evans, an HACP resident and board member, among them. Dozens of HACP staff members gave him an emotional standing ovation farewell.

The search for a new leader had been ongoing for some time. This was true even before a wave of board members appointed by Mayor Ed Gainey were seated last year. Binion faced criticism regarding the administration of the Housing Choice Voucher program. However, the agency also secured several competitive federal redevelopment grants during his tenure.

As Mathews takes the helm, she faces the challenges of the current political climate. The Trump administration policies have cut the social safety net in multiple ways. This context was evident during the board meeting, where staff discussed winding down a program designed to help HACP clients with children move from high poverty neighborhoods to areas with more opportunity. The change is a result of declining federal support.

The flow of leadership across state lines highlights the interconnected nature of the housing crisis. What happens in Oregon, or at the federal level, inevitably ripples outward to cities like Pittsburgh. The decision to hire someone from a different Western context reflects the evolving strategies required to manage public housing in the twenty-first century.

First reported by Wesa.