About Us

COG is the one place in metropolitan Washington that regularly brings leaders together to develop solutions to the region's major challenges. COG prepares plans enabling the region to receive federal funding, provides members with research and data to inform decision-making, and offers a wide range of programs, including commuter services, cooperative purchasing, technical assistance and grants, and public outreach campaigns.

Transportation

Through the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), area officials, planners, and engineers ensure a well-managed and maintained transportation system. The TPB, which is staffed by COG, conducts the federally mandated transportation planning process for the region and ensures the uninterrupted flow of federal transportation funds that area jurisdictions receive.

Environment

COG's work engages leaders in various environmental fields from water quality experts to climate scientists. Together, they are advancing regional efforts to restore local waterways, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, promote recycling, and enhance and preserve green space and agriculture.

Community

Area officials and experts, including planning and housing directors and child welfare and health officials, work together with their counterparts at COG to help shape stronger communities throughout the region.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

COG brings police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency managers, and other leaders together as part of its work to strengthen regional public safety coordination, homeland security planning, and emergency communication.

Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee

Through its Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee, COG conducts an annual point-in-time (PIT) enumeration of the region's homeless and formerly homeless population. Conducted every January since 2001, the enumeration provides a one-day snapshot of the number, demographics, and distribution of the region’s homeless individuals and families. COG produces an annual PIT report on the year’s enumeration results, trends, and programs serving the homeless and formerly homeless in the region. This annual effort creates a platform for regional collaboration and problem solving to prevent and end the experience of homelessness regionwide.

Every jurisdiction in the region is affected by homelessness. Through close collaboration, the members of the committee are able to share strategies in addressing common challenges that are unique to living in a high-cost housing market such as metropolitan Washington. To support the members of the Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee, COG also organizes trainings, discussions, and speakers on recent research and best practices in the field.

Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee

Featured Documents

Homeless Services ByLaws

Committee Members

Staff