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Mayor Keith Wilson says he “does not support” the severance package offered to departing Home Forward CEO Ivory Mathews, who announced her resignation earlier this week after WW reported on her extensive agency-funded travel in recent years.
Wilson’s statement comes less than 24 hours before the Home Forward board of commissioners—now also under scrutiny over its handling of the Mathews coverage—is set to take a vote on Mathews’ $171,420 severance package, which includes up to $50,000 in additional funds to help her find her next job, six months of COBRA health insurance and a payout for any accrued vacation time.
“While the mayor does not support the severance package,” mayoral spokesman Cody Bowman says, “authority for that decision lies entirely with the Home Forward board. The mayor does not have the ability to override or direct that action.”
While Wilson does not have the authority to approve or deny Mathews’ severance package, he does appoint members of Home Forward’s nine-member board, pending final approval by the City Council. That means the nine people tasked with overseeing the agency’s operations, finances and mission are selected by Wilson. (Most were appointed before Wilson took office in January 2025.)
Bowman reiterated that Wilson “expects all public agencies to use taxpayer and ratepayer dollars responsibly and to stay focused on their core responsibilities,” and that he will “continue to monitor Home Forward’s performance closely and expects clear, measurable improvement from the organization.”
The organization’s board is currently under fire for its handling of the coverage around Mathews’ travel expenses. The board repeatedly defended Mathews’ more than $100,000 in agency-funded travel, and at a board meeting last week board members took turns applauding Mathews’ leadership—even as the union that represents more than half of the organization’s employees said publicly it had “no confidence or trust” in Mathews’ leadership.
When asked why it is offering a severance package to Mathews in the first place, given that she’s leaving following mounting public pressure over her use of agency funds, the board said in a statement: “A smooth and quick transition is what is best for the organization. We are focused on the accountability and assessment initiatives announced recently, and on moving forward to improve our performance.”
The board has held its monthly meetings remotely since the pandemic, and meeting minutes reviewed by WW over a five-year period show the board has asked few difficult or probing questions of agency executives surrounding the agency’s finances and operations, even as the organization’s performance—and finances—slipped.
After Mathews announced her resignation, Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton and City Councilor Eric Zimmerman said separately they believed the entire board should step down.
In response to those calls, the board said to WW: “While we have met our governance obligations, we think we can do better, and we are considering how the board can improve its oversight.”
Currently, two of the nine seats on the board are vacant. Bowman says Wilson “is actively meeting with potential appointees who can help ensure strong accountability and support meaningful improvement at Home Forward.”
