Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) | Programs and initiatives | City of Philadelphia
Source: https://www.phila.gov/programs/registered-community-organizations-rcos
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:11
Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) | Programs and initiatives | City of Philadelphia
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About
Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) are community groups that are concerned with the physical development of their community. RCOs:
Get advance notice of projects that will be reviewed by the Zoning Board of Adjustment or the Civic Design Review Committee.
Organize and conduct public meetings where community members can comment on planned developments in their neighborhood.
Get notified by the
Philadelphia City Planning Commission
(PCPC) whenever a:
Zoning variance or special exception is requested.
Development requiring Civic Design Review (CDR) is proposed.
To find an existing RCO or to learn more about what RCOs do, see
our resources
.
Connect
Address
1515 Arch St.
13th Floor
Philadelphia
,
PA
19102
Email
rco
@phila.gov
Phone
Phone:
(215) 683-4646
Social
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Register an RCO
Registration is closed.
New applications for RCOs are accepted every year during the month of June.
Eligibility
To qualify as an RCO, your organization must:
Hold regularly scheduled, open meetings.
Have leadership chosen by the organization members-at-large at regularly scheduled elections.
Serve a geographic area that has no more than 20,000 parcels.
Some groups qualify as RCOs when they submit a complete application to PCPC. They are:
Neighborhood Improvement Districts.
Special Services Districts.
Ward Committees.
The full RCO program rules and responsibilities are outlined in Chapter 14-300 of the Philadelphia Code, also known as the
Zoning Code
.
What to expect
New applications for RCOs are accepted every year during the month of June. When you apply, you will need to attach the required documentation. This includes:
An adopted statement of purpose for the organization concerning land use, zoning, preservation, or development.
The organization's governing rules or by-laws. These must include a description of boundaries, a definition of the membership, and a description of the leadership selection process.
A copy of a meeting announcement distributed publicly through hard copy or electronic notices.
Proof that your organization is eligible.
Once the application is received, PCPC staff will review for completeness and will let you know if they require additional materials.
For more information, watch a video of the
2024 RCO information session
.
Get involved
Search by address to find out more about a proposed development or appeal.
Go here for templates, codes and regulations, and contact information for Council and RCOs.
See a calendar of upcoming ZBA meetings.
Resources
The City’s Open Maps page, where boundaries of various RCOs can be found. Choose Registered Community Organizations on the left.
Learn more about what RCOs do and how they operate in these brief, informational videos.
Application form, a list of RCOs, and materials from past RCO information sessions.
View the benefits agreements that RCOs submitted for the previous calendar year.
Top
Birth, marriage & life events
Business & self-employment
Cars, parking & transportation
Crime, law & justice
Culture & recreation
Diversity, inclusion, accessibility & immigration
Education & learning
Ethics & transparency
Mental & physical health
Payments, assistance & taxes
Permits, violations & licenses
Property, lots & housing
Safety & emergency preparedness
Streets, sidewalks & alleys
Trash, recycling & city upkeep
Trees, parks & the environment
Water, gas & utilities
Working & jobs
Zoning, planning & development
Service directory
Skip to main content
Translate
It looks like your device language is set to
. Would you like to translate this page?
About
Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) are community groups that are concerned with the physical development of their community. RCOs:
Get advance notice of projects that will be reviewed by the Zoning Board of Adjustment or the Civic Design Review Committee.
Organize and conduct public meetings where community members can comment on planned developments in their neighborhood.
Get notified by the
Philadelphia City Planning Commission
(PCPC) whenever a:
Zoning variance or special exception is requested.
Development requiring Civic Design Review (CDR) is proposed.
To find an existing RCO or to learn more about what RCOs do, see
our resources
.
Connect
Address
1515 Arch St.
13th Floor
Philadelphia
,
PA
19102
rco
@phila.gov
Phone
Phone:
(215) 683-4646
Social
Register an RCO
Registration is closed.
New applications for RCOs are accepted every year during the month of June.
Eligibility
To qualify as an RCO, your organization must:
Hold regularly scheduled, open meetings.
Have leadership chosen by the organization members-at-large at regularly scheduled elections.
Serve a geographic area that has no more than 20,000 parcels.
Some groups qualify as RCOs when they submit a complete application to PCPC. They are:
Neighborhood Improvement Districts.
Special Services Districts.
Ward Committees.
The full RCO program rules and responsibilities are outlined in Chapter 14-300 of the Philadelphia Code, also known as the
Zoning Code
.
What to expect
New applications for RCOs are accepted every year during the month of June. When you apply, you will need to attach the required documentation. This includes:
An adopted statement of purpose for the organization concerning land use, zoning, preservation, or development.
The organization's governing rules or by-laws. These must include a description of boundaries, a definition of the membership, and a description of the leadership selection process.
A copy of a meeting announcement distributed publicly through hard copy or electronic notices.
Proof that your organization is eligible.
Once the application is received, PCPC staff will review for completeness and will let you know if they require additional materials.
For more information, watch a video of the
2024 RCO information session
.
Get involved
Search by address to find out more about a proposed development or appeal.
Go here for templates, codes and regulations, and contact information for Council and RCOs.
See a calendar of upcoming ZBA meetings.
Resources
The City’s Open Maps page, where boundaries of various RCOs can be found. Choose Registered Community Organizations on the left.
Learn more about what RCOs do and how they operate in these brief, informational videos.
Application form, a list of RCOs, and materials from past RCO information sessions.
View the benefits agreements that RCOs submitted for the previous calendar year.
Top
Birth, marriage & life events
Business & self-employment
Cars, parking & transportation
Crime, law & justice
Culture & recreation
Diversity, inclusion, accessibility & immigration
Education & learning
Ethics & transparency
Mental & physical health
Payments, assistance & taxes
Permits, violations & licenses
Property, lots & housing
Safety & emergency preparedness
Streets, sidewalks & alleys
Trash, recycling & city upkeep
Trees, parks & the environment
Water, gas & utilities
Working & jobs
Zoning, planning & development
Service directory