Across the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) region, local governments are confronting a shared reality: strong economies and high incomes for some do not translate into economic stability for many residents. Working families - often referred to as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) - are increasingly unable to afford essentials such as housing, childcare, and transportation, or experience well-being and security, despite being active participants in the workforce.
In response, GARE partnered with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to convene a group of eight government jurisdictions across the DMV - Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Charles County, Frederick County, City of Alexandria, City of Hyattsville, City of Rockville, and City of Gaithersburg over eighteen months. Together, participants built shared learning, aligned values, co-create strategies, and language to address local and regional economic mobility challenges. This regional collaboration resulted in a wide range of local pilots creating notable policy changes and early indicators of community-level impact, including:
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- Hyattsville, MD reimagined a former police satellite location, transforming it into an economic empowerment center.
- Rockville. MD changed local zoning ordinances to increase access to high-opportunity neighborhoods and introduced a new training series and resource.
- Alexandria, VA transformed their approach to community engagement into a micro-neighborhood approach centered on fair and just inclusion.
The final regional cohort session was held on February 26, 2026, hosted by strategic partner, the Urban Institute, in their DC offices. The session centered on three key components: 1.) a strategic communications workshop presented by the Urban Institute, 2.) presentations by each of the eight jurisdictions on their progress to date, and 3.) a group dialogue on future directions. Taken together, these elements underscored the cohort’s focus on targeted impact, while strengthening regional alignment through ongoing learning, communication, and collaboration.
A year and a half of work culminated in a rich, productive discussion that confirmed that the region’s foundation for a transformational economic mobility system is now in place. The next steps needed to create the region-wide, measurable, community-level impact that the cohort envisions are continued connection and deeper, more intentional coordination.
Economic mobility does not follow jurisdictional boundaries. Residents live in one county, work in another, and rely on services across the region. Yet historically, solutions have been designed and funded locally, resulting in fragmented systems that limit impact. The next phase of this work addresses that gap.
What is emerging in the DMV is more than a set of exciting and diverse local initiatives - it is a replicable model for regional economic mobility. At a time when many communities are struggling to move beyond piecemeal approaches, this region is demonstrating what becomes possible when:
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- Strong regional and national partners are activated
- Jurisdictions align around a shared vision
- Disaggregated data informs and drives cross-sector decision-making
- Communities are engaged as co-creators
- Systems and programs are redesigned
Over the next few months, GARE will continue to draft and document case studies that will serve as the foundation for the forthcoming GARE Regional Levers for Economic Mobility Tool, a collection of resources that will guide jurisdictions across our national network in operationalizing economic mobility concepts and local data into meaningful changes for residents across all zip codes and backgrounds.
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