During his time on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Cogen has overseen the following efforts:
The opening of the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services, a "one-stop center" for domestic violence services in 2010.

The center is run in partnership between Multnomah County and the City of Portland and offers onsite services to domestic violence survivors and their children including:
Crisis and safety planning
Restraining order applications
Access to specially trained police officers
Prosecution services and support
Alcohol/drug and mental health assessment services
Civil legal assistance
Children and teen support services
Creation of the Multnomah County CROPS Farm: in 2009, Cogen's office launched the Multnomah County CROPS Farm, a piece of county-owned land used to grow fresh produce for the Oregon Food Bank.
The surplus Multnomah County property in Troutdale, Oregon, was converted into a two-acre farm and has since grown vegetables for people accessing the Oregon Food Bank.

Sale restriction of reusable beverage containers containing Bisphenol A in Multnomah County: in October 2011, Multnomah County's Board of Health adopted a policy brought forward by Cogen that restricted the sale of all reusable beverage containers that contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in certain hard plastic containers like baby bottles, sippy cups and water bottles within Multnomah County.

According to the Multnomah County website, "The Health Department's analysis found that babies and young children are more vulnerable to the effects of Bisphenol A. Disruption of an infant's hormonal system can affect their development, putting them at risk for behavioral problems, breast and prostate cancer and a variety of other issues.

In July 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of Bisphenol A in sippy cups and baby bottles nationwide.

Change in policy on immigration holds in Multnomah County jails: in April 2013, Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton adopted a change in policy developed in partnership between Cogen's office and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to stop complying with federal immigration holds for low-level offenders in Multnomah County jails.

Prior to this change in policy, people booked in Multnomah County jails and suspected of undocumented immigration by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), were held for up to 48 hours at the federal government's request.
These 48-hour holds, called I-247 detainers, keep people in jail even after they have been cleared of their booking charges.
They can be enforced no matter the allegation.

Under the change in policy, which went into effect April 15, 2013, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office no longer holds people for U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement after their booking charges have cleared if:
They have been charged with low-level misdemeanors
An ICE detainer has been issued based solely on immigration charges or convictions
Coal export health impact study: in September 2012, Cogen directed the Multnomah County Health Department to conduct a study on the impact of coal export by rail through Multnomah County on residents' health.
The call for the study was brought on by proposals for new coal export terminals in Oregon and Washington.

The report, which was completed by the Health Department in February 2013, looked at populations in Multnomah County that would be most affected by coal transportation by rail, as well as six potential environmental effects of concern, including "emission of particulate matter in the form of coal dust" and "emission of particulate matter in the form of diesel locomotive exhaust."
Potential health outcomes associated with coal dust and diesel exhaust identified in the report included "heart and lung problems, cancers, growth and development problems, stress and mental health problems, injury and death."

Creation of a firearms safety ordinance: in April 2013, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a firearms safety ordinance co-sponsored by Chair Cogen and District 1 Multnomah
During his time on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Cogen has overseen the following efforts:
The opening of the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services, a "one-stop center" for domestic violence services in 2010.
The center is run in partnership between Multnomah County and the City of Portland and offers onsite services to domestic violence survivors and their children including:
Crisis and safety planning
Restraining order applications
Access to specially trained police officers
Prosecution services and support
Alcohol/drug and mental health assessment services
Civil legal assistance
Children and teen support services
Creation of the Multnomah County CROPS Farm: in 2009, Cogen's office launched the Multnomah County CROPS Farm, a piece of county-owned land used to grow fresh produce for the Oregon Food Bank. The surplus Multnomah County property in Troutdale, Oregon, was converted into a two-acre farm and has since grown vegetables for people accessing the Oregon Food Bank.
Sale restriction of reusable beverage containers containing Bisphenol A in Multnomah County: in October 2011, Multnomah County's Board of Health adopted a policy brought forward by Cogen that restricted the sale of all reusable beverage containers that contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in certain hard plastic containers like baby bottles, sippy cups and water bottles within Multnomah County.
According to the Multnomah County website, "The Health Department's analysis found that babies and young children are more vulnerable to the effects of Bisphenol A. Disruption of an infant's hormonal system can affect their development, putting them at risk for behavioral problems, breast and prostate cancer and a variety of other issues.
In July 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of Bisphenol A in sippy cups and baby bottles nationwide.
Change in policy on immigration holds in Multnomah County jails: in April 2013, Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton adopted a change in policy developed in partnership between Cogen's office and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to stop complying with federal immigration holds for low-level offenders in Multnomah County jails.
Prior to this change in policy, people booked in Multnomah County jails and suspected of undocumented immigration by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), were held for up to 48 hours at the federal government's request. These 48-hour holds, called I-247 detainers, keep people in jail even after they have been cleared of their booking charges. They can be enforced no matter the allegation.
Under the change in policy, which went into effect April 15, 2013, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office no longer holds people for U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement after their booking charges have cleared if:
They have been charged with low-level misdemeanors
An ICE detainer has been issued based solely on immigration charges or convictions
Coal export health impact study: in September 2012, Cogen directed the Multnomah County Health Department to conduct a study on the impact of coal export by rail through Multnomah County on residents' health. The call for the study was brought on by proposals for new coal export terminals in Oregon and Washington.
The report, which was completed by the Health Department in February 2013, looked at populations in Multnomah County that would be most affected by coal transportation by rail, as well as six potential environmental effects of concern, including "emission of particulate matter in the form of coal dust" and "emission of particulate matter in the form of diesel locomotive exhaust." Potential health outcomes associated with coal dust and diesel exhaust identified in the report included "heart and lung problems, cancers, growth and development problems, stress and mental health problems, injury and death."
Creation of a firearms safety ordinance: in April 2013, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a firearms safety ordinance co-sponsored by Chair Cogen and District 1 Multnomah
Jeff Cogen