More than 400 elected officials and other community leaders attended the Reality Check on Growth summit held February 2. Experts in housing and environmental planning joined business leaders and elected officials from 21 area jurisdictions to map out different ways the metropolitan Washington region may prepare for an expected growth spurt.

The focal point of the summit was a three-hour exercise in which participants mapped out housing and jobs using legos and high-tech maps. The activity helped participants focus on potential impacts an expected 1.6 million new residents and 2 million jobs may have on the region within the next 25 years.

COG worked with the Urban Land Institute of Washington, Smart Growth Alliance and other local organizations to help arrange the event.