Ruth Street Civic House in Kensington: 44 Affordable Apartments at 2721 Ruth Street, Posted Maximum Rents From $341

Published October 23, 202620 min readBy VoucherMatch Editorial Team

Quick answerAs of October 6, 2026, Ruth Street Civic House at 2721 Ruth Street in Kensington, Philadelphia, is a finished building with 44 income-restricted apartments, and its owner's page says applications are open. There is no lottery now: the first one closed December 31, 2025, and new applications join a waiting list in the order they arrive. The owner says rent is about 30% of household income, with posted maximums of $341 to $1,203 a month. Every apartment has Philadelphia Housing Authority rent assistance attached, so no voucher is needed.

Last checked: October 6, 2026, against New Kensington CDC's Ruth Street Civic House page, its frequently asked questions (dated November 12, 2025) and rental application (dated January 2026), the City's building permit CP-2023-003341 in its permit records, the Philadelphia Housing Authority's Unit Based Program page and payment standards (schedule effective November 1, 2025), the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's 2026 income and rent limits, the architect's project page and Regional Housing Legal Services' report on the financing. The management office decides what is open and what it rents for; confirm there before you apply.

Ruth Street Civic House in numbers

44income-restricted apartments, 32 one-bedrooms and 12 two-bedrooms
About 30%of household income, which is how the owner says rent is set
$341 to $1,203posted maximum monthly rents, dated November 2025
$42,950the 2026 income limit for one person at 50% of area median income
$0minimum income, according to the owner's FAQ
0.1 milesto Somerset station on the Market-Frankford Line

Four-story apartment building in white ribbed metal, green window panels and tan brick, with the name Ruth Street Civic House over a glass entrance and cars parked along the street — Ruth Street Civic House, 2721 Ruth Street in Kensington, Philadelphia, after completion. Photo: Barry Halkin, Halkin | Mason Photography, architect's photograph, via CBP Architects (cropped).

What Ruth Street Civic House Is and Who Built It

Ruth Street Civic House is a four-story building with 44 apartments that New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC), a nonprofit, finished in late 2025 on the 2700 block of Ruth Street.

Names and addresses: Ruth Street Civic House, or Casa Cívica de Ruth Street on the owner's Spanish page. The owner's page gives the address as 2721 Ruth Street. Permits, the City's property record and the rental application use 2721-69 Ruth Street.
Owner: NKCDC, whose offices are next door at Orinoka Civic House, 2771 Ruth Street. The City's property record (account 886666000) lists the owner as New Kensington Community.
Architect and builder: CBP Architects designed it and names Caritas Construction as general contractor. The City's building permit names the contractor as Caritas Management LLC.
Size: building permit CP-2023-003341, issued March 21, 2024, is for a four-story wood-frame building with 44 dwelling units, a roof deck and parking for 17 vehicles.
Manager: Multifamily Management of Philadelphia, according to NKCDC's apartments page.
Program: federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), plus rent assistance from the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) on all 44 apartments.
Cost: $13 million in NKCDC's 2019 plan; $21.5 million when the financing closed in 2024, according to the lawyers on the financing.

2721-69 Ruth Street, from vacant lot to open building

Summer 2019neighbors at a Somerset Neighbors for Better Living meeting vote 35 to 7 for the plan.
September 18, 2019the City issues the zoning permit for the building.
October 31, 2019NKCDC announces 44 apartments at 2721-69 Ruth Street.
March 21, 2024the City issues the building permit for four stories and 44 apartments.
December 8, 2025the City issues the certificate of occupancy.
December 31, 2025deadline for the lottery that ordered the first applicants.
April 29, 2026ribbon cutting, with PHFA's director and State Senator Christine Tartaglione.

What it means: the building is finished and open, so an application now is for a place on the waiting list, not for a building still under construction.

Source: City of Philadelphia permit records for 2721-69 Ruth Street (zoning permit 981557, building permit CP-2023-003341); NKCDC, October 31, 2019; CBP Architects' journal, April 2026; the owner's FAQ.

Rear of a four-story building in white ribbed metal, gray siding and brick with green louvered panels, a rear door and a striped parking lot where four people are walking — The parking-lot side of Ruth Street Civic House. The building permit provides parking for 17 vehicles. Photo: Barry Halkin, Halkin | Mason Photography, architect's photograph, via CBP Architects (cropped).

Where 2721 Ruth Street Is

The building is in Kensington, in ZIP code 19134 and City Council District 1, about a tenth of a mile from Somerset station on the Market-Frankford Line (the El, shown as the L on SEPTA maps).

Where the building sits

19134the ZIP code on the rental application
District 1the City Council district on the City's 2024 map
Group 2PHA's payment-standard group for this ZIP code
Next doorOrinoka Civic House, NKCDC's 51-apartment building from 2017
0.1 milesstraight-line distance to Somerset station

Council district: permits for this lot since 2019 list District 1, whose member is Mark Squilla. Permits from 2015 list District 7.
Apartments nearby: see voucher apartments in Kensington and apartments near the Market-Frankford Line.

Street lined with parked cars beside a brick and white metal apartment building, with a taller gray and white building beyond it under a blue sky — Ruth Street Civic House, right, seen along Ruth Street with the taller neighboring building beyond it. Photo: Barry Halkin, Halkin | Mason Photography, architect's photograph, via CBP Architects (cropped).

What the Rent Is and Who Qualifies

The owner says rent is about 30% of household income, up to a posted maximum for each apartment type, and household income has to be at or under 50% of the area median income.

Posted maximum monthly rent, dated November 10, 2025
Apartment	20% level	30% level	50% level
1 bedroom	$341	$565	$1,013
2 bedrooms	$397	$665	$1,203

What it means: these are ceilings. The FAQ says "Exact rent amounts will be determined upon review with the property management company at lease up."

Source: NKCDC's FAQ, chart headed "Effective 11/10/2025" and "Max. Rent in 2025". The owner's web page prints the same figures except $666 for a two-bedroom at 30%, and it lists no two-bedroom at 20%.

ExampleThe owner's FAQ describes a retired woman living alone on a $967 monthly Social Security check as eligible for a one-bedroom at the 20% level. Thirty percent of $967 is about $290 a month. The management office sets the exact figure.

Apartments at Ruth Street Civic House by income level, number of apartments

20% of area median income

30%

50%

View the data table

Income level	Apartments
20% of area median income	11
30%	11
50%	22

What it means: half of the apartments are at the 50% level, and 11 are at each of the two lower levels.

Source: Regional Housing Legal Services, which closed the financing, November 7, 2024. NKCDC has not published the split. Its 2019 announcement named levels of 20%, 50% and 60%, and its FAQ says "between 20%-60%".

Watch outthe rent sheet inside the application packet says the opposite of the FAQ. It reads "We are NOT subsidized", lists rents of $92, $192 and $492 for one-bedrooms and $259 and $659 for two-bedrooms, and is dated June 1, 2025. The owner's web page, its FAQ, the lawyers on the financing and PHA's own plan all describe the building as subsidized. Ask the management office which sheet applies to you.

Maximum household income posted by the building, dated November 10, 2025
Household	20% level	30% level	50% level
1 person	$16,720	$25,080	$41,800
2 people	$19,120	$28,680	$47,800
3 people	$21,500	$32,250	$53,750
4 people	$23,880	$35,820	$59,700

What it means: these are the figures the building had posted on October 6, 2026.

Source: NKCDC's FAQ. The owner's web page shows $41,800 for two people in a two-bedroom at 50%, which conflicts with $47,800 on its own one-bedroom row and in the FAQ.

PHFA income limits for Philadelphia, effective May 1, 2026
Household	20%	30%	50%
1 person	$17,180	$25,770	$42,950
2 people	$19,640	$29,460	$49,100
3 people	$22,100	$33,150	$55,250
4 people	$24,540	$36,810	$61,350

What it means: the 2026 limits are higher than the ones the building has posted, by $1,150 for one person and $1,650 for four people at the 50% level. A household just over a posted figure should ask whether the 2026 table applies.

Source: PHFA Low-Income Housing Tax Credit income and rent limits, report MTXR041, Philadelphia rows dated 5/01/2026.

No minimum income: the FAQ says "There is no minimum income requirement to live at Ruth Street Civic House." The web page says applicants must "have a verifiable source of income".
Household size: the building allows no more than two people per bedroom, so two people at most in a one-bedroom and four in a two-bedroom. A household of five or more has no apartment that fits.
Utilities: the web page and the application say residents pay gas and electric. The FAQ says residents pay electricity and "The property covers water, sewer, and trash removal."

Apartment entry door beside a kitchen with dark wood cabinets, a stainless-steel refrigerator and range, and a dining table with four upholstered chairs on a wood-look floor — A furnished apartment at Ruth Street Civic House: the entry, kitchen and dining area. Photo: Barry Halkin, Halkin | Mason Photography, architect's photograph, via CBP Architects (cropped).

Do You Need a Voucher, and Can You Use One Here?

No voucher is needed: all 44 apartments have rent assistance from PHA attached to the apartment itself.

Regional Housing Legal Services wrote in 2024 that "all units will receive Project-Based Rental Assistance Demonstration ("RAD") for a minimum term of 15 years." PHA's plan for fiscal year 2027 lists Ruth Street Civic House with 44 units as "New construction development under Faircloth to RAD". The owner's FAQ calls it "a subsidized, tax credit property, with project base subsidies."

How PHA says apartment-based assistance works

It stays with the apartment"Under the UBV Program, the rental assistance is attached to the unit. If the family moves from the unit, the housing assistance remains with the unit."
What tenants pay"UBV Program tenants pay between to 26-30% of their adjusted income for rent based on their family size or specific UBV program."
Who screens youthe owner first. Then "the family is referred to PHA for eligibility screening for the HCV program, including income eligibility."
Income limit"The income limit is 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) as established by HUD annually."
After one yearPHA's RAD page says "residents who wish to move will be given a preference for a tenant-based voucher after the initial year of occupancy."

What it means: PHA's own voucher waiting list has been closed since its 2023 lottery, so a building like this one is a way to get rent set by income without holding a voucher first.

Source: PHA, Unit Based Program overview and Rental Assistance Demonstration, read October 6, 2026. UBV is PHA's name for project-based vouchers.

Posted maximum rent at Ruth Street Civic House against PHA's payment standard for ZIP code 19134, dollars a month

Posted maximum rentPHA payment standard, Group 2

1 bedroom, 20%

$341

$1,390

1 bedroom, 30%

$565

$1,390

1 bedroom, 50%

$1,013

$1,390

2 bedrooms, 20%

$397

$1,660

2 bedrooms, 30%

$665

$1,660

2 bedrooms, 50%

$1,203

$1,660

View the data table

Apartment	Posted maximum rent	PHA payment standard, Group 2
1 bedroom, 20%	$341	$1,390
1 bedroom, 30%	$565	$1,390
1 bedroom, 50%	$1,013	$1,390
2 bedrooms, 20%	$397	$1,660
2 bedrooms, 30%	$665	$1,660
2 bedrooms, 50%	$1,203	$1,660

What it means: the highest posted rents here are $377 and $457 under what PHA would count for an ordinary apartment of the same size in this ZIP code.

Source: rents from NKCDC's FAQ; payment standards from PHA's schedule effective November 1, 2025, which puts ZIP code 19134 in Group 2. The payment standard is the most PHA counts toward rent and utilities for a household with a tenant-held voucher.

If you already hold a PHA voucher: the owner's documents do not say how that is handled. Federal tax-credit law bars an owner from refusing a voucher holder "because of the status of the prospective tenant as such a holder", and Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance counts "the Housing Choice Voucher (sometimes referred to as "Section 8") Program" as a protected source of income. Because the assistance here belongs to the apartment, ask PHA what happens to your voucher before you accept one.
A different PHA table covers project-based apartments: citywide fair market rents of $1,558 for a one-bedroom and $1,860 for a two-bedroom from October 1, 2026.
Utility allowance: PHA's schedule, effective October 1, 2023, "also applies to Project-Based Voucher (PBV), Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), and Moderate Rehabilitation (Mod Rehab) programs." For a one-bedroom in an apartment building it allows $30 a month for electric heat, $9 for electric cooking and $35 for lights and appliances. See how the Section 8 utility allowance works.
PHA's schedule is due to change: HUD's new figures took effect October 1, 2026, and PHA had not posted a new schedule by October 6, 2026. See how much Section 8 pays in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Housing Authority page.

How the Posted Rents Compare With Rents in ZIP Code 19134

Every posted maximum is below HUD's estimate of an ordinary rent in ZIP code 19134, and the lowest are about a quarter of it.

Posted maximum rent at Ruth Street Civic House against HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 19134, dollars a month

Posted maximum rentHUD fair market rent, ZIP 19134

1 bedroom, 20%

$341

$1,280

1 bedroom, 30%

$565

$1,280

1 bedroom, 50%

$1,013

$1,280

2 bedrooms, 20%

$397

$1,530

2 bedrooms, 30%

$665

$1,530

2 bedrooms, 50%

$1,203

$1,530

View the data table

Apartment	Posted maximum rent	HUD fair market rent, ZIP 19134
1 bedroom, 20%	$341	$1,280
1 bedroom, 30%	$565	$1,280
1 bedroom, 50%	$1,013	$1,280
2 bedrooms, 20%	$397	$1,530
2 bedrooms, 30%	$665	$1,530
2 bedrooms, 50%	$1,203	$1,530

What it means: the one-bedroom at the 50% level is $267 under HUD's figure and the two-bedroom is $327 under it, before the utilities a tenant pays here.

Source: rents from NKCDC's FAQ; HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents for fiscal year 2027, in effect since October 1, 2026. HUD's figure is its estimate of the 40th-percentile rent in the ZIP code with utilities included.

PHA's number is higher than HUD's here: PHA groups ZIP codes, and its Group 2 one-bedroom standard of $1,390 is $110 above HUD's $1,280 for 19134.
Rent data for this ZIP code: see Section 8 rent limits for 19134 and voucher apartments in 19134.

Set-Asides, Building Features and Transit

The owner has published no neighborhood or residency preference; the set-asides on record are for accessibility and for people leaving homelessness.

Set-asides and help on record

Accessible apartmentseight apartments have features for people with hearing or vision impairments, and six of those are also wheelchair-accessible, according to the architect. The application asks whether your household needs those features.
People leaving homelessnessfive apartments, according to Regional Housing Legal Services in 2024.
PHA referralsPHA says it "may also refer applicants to the Owner from PHA's HCV waiting list."
Neighborhood preferencenone published.
Help with the depositthe FAQ says NKCDC "can help with security deposits" for applicants who document hardship and are "currently living in the Kensington Housing Stability boundaries".

In the building, and the rules

Apartmentslarge windows, stainless-steel Energy Star appliances, solid-surface counters, wood cabinets, and heat and air conditioning controlled in each apartment.
Shared spacesa lobby with seating, laundry rooms on floors two through four, a bike room and a mail room with package lockers.
Staff and entryan on-site manager and maintenance staff during business hours, part-time resident services staff, key-card entry at the doors and the parking gate, cameras and a video intercom.
Parkinga gated lot. The building permit provides 17 spaces for 44 apartments. Whether a space costs extra is not published.
Pets"Pets are not allowed at Ruth St, except for service animals with proper documentation."
Not in this buildinga community room. The FAQ says the shared one is next door at Orinoka Civic House.

What it means: laundry is shared, not in the apartment, and parking is limited.

Source: NKCDC's FAQ; CBP Architects' project page; Regional Housing Legal Services; building permit CP-2023-003341.

Lobby with a green ceiling panel, teal and gray armchairs around low tables, a bench along a window into an office, and three people seated — The lobby at Ruth Street Civic House. The architect says it was designed for gathering because the building has no community room. Photo: Barry Halkin, Halkin | Mason Photography, architect's photograph, via CBP Architects (cropped).

Laundry room with white washers and dryers along a green-banded wall, a woman holding a garment, a counter with stools and a wall of windows with blinds — A shared laundry room at Ruth Street Civic House. The architect's page places them on floors two through four. Photo: Barry Halkin, Halkin | Mason Photography, architect's photograph, via CBP Architects (cropped).

Station	Line	Straight-line distance
Somerset	Market-Frankford Line (L)	about 0.1 miles
Huntingdon	Market-Frankford Line (L)	about 0.2 miles
York-Dauphin	Market-Frankford Line (L)	about 0.6 miles
Allegheny	Market-Frankford Line (L)	about 0.7 miles

What it means: two El stations are within a quarter mile, and the nearest Broad Street Line station is more than a mile and a half away.

Source: station coordinates from SEPTA's open data; distances calculated by VoucherMatch in a straight line from 2721 Ruth Street, so the walk is longer.

How to Apply for Ruth Street Civic House

You apply on paper to the owner, not to the City or PHA, and the date and time your application arrives sets your place.

Applying to Ruth Street Civic House

1Get the applicationdownload it in English or Spanish from NKCDC's site.
2Fill in every sectionthe head of household completes it in ink, and every adult 18 or older signs. Write "N/A" where a section does not apply.
3Turn it inmail it to NKCDC, Attn: Ruth Street Applications, 2771 Ruth St, Suite 1, Philadelphia, PA 19134; email it to ruthstreetcivichouse@mmsgroup.com; or drop it off at NKCDC, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., where the owner's Spanish page says it is stamped with the time. Do not send it to 2721-69 Ruth Street.
4Keep it currentreport any change of address, phone, income or household. The application says a household that misses an update request is removed from the list.
5Questionsthe English page gives the management office as 610-862-9664. The Spanish page gives 215-278-2615.

Key pointthe first apartments were offered by lottery to households that applied by December 31, 2025. The FAQ says a later application "will be placed on the waiting list in the order it is received, after all lottery-selected applicants."

What happens after you apply

When the application is acceptedthe office makes a preliminary check. If you pass, you are placed on the waiting list, which "does not guarantee that your household will be offered an apartment."
When a vacancy is expectedapplicants "will be contacted in order of date and time for an in person eligibility interview." Every adult in the household attends.
Before a leasethe owner runs credit, criminal and previous-landlord checks, and PHA screens the household for income eligibility.
How longthe application says "the waitlist can be years long".
Every year after move-inyou recertify your income.

What it means: apply as early as you can and keep searching while you wait.

Source: Ruth Street Civic House rental application, dated January 2026; NKCDC's FAQ; PHA's Unit Based Program page.

Documents the FAQ says to gather

Photo ID. government-issued, for every adult
Social Security cards. or proof of the number, for every household member
Birth certificates. for every household member
Income for the past 6 to 12 months. pay stubs, Social Security or SSI award letters, pension statements, child support or unemployment records
Tax return. the most recent year, or W-2 forms
Bank statements. checking, savings and any other accounts
Assets. retirement accounts and investments
Proof of address. a utility bill or lease
If it applies. proof of disability, student status or service-animal documentation

What the FAQ says about screening

Eviction"A prior eviction does not automatically disqualify you."
Criminal recordautomatic denial applies only to lifetime sex-offender registration or a conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine in federally assisted housing. Other convictions are reviewed case by case.
Credit"Poor credit alone is not an automatic disqualification under PHFA rules."
If you are deniedapplicants "have the right to appeal a denial and request a written explanation."
Feesthe application lists none. Philadelphia law caps a background or credit check fee at its actual cost or $50, whichever is less.

Source: NKCDC's FAQ; Philadelphia Bill No. 250045 (Phila. Code §9-813), signed September 3, 2025. See also renting with an eviction or a housing authority debt.

What Is Known and What Is Not Yet Published

The records settle the building's size, its subsidy and how to apply; the owner has not published several things an applicant needs.

Known and not yet known, as of October 6, 2026

Known44 apartments, 32 one-bedrooms and 12 two-bedrooms, all with PHA rent assistance attached.
Knownthe posted maximum rents and income limits, and that applications are ordered by date and time.
Not publishedwhether any apartment is vacant today.
Not publishedwhich rent sheet is current, the FAQ's or the application packet's.
Not publishedwhether the 2026 income limits have replaced the posted ones.
Not publishedhow many one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms there are at each income level.
Not publishedwhether the tenant pays gas, the parking cost and the security deposit.
Not publishedhow a household that already holds a voucher is handled.

If You Need an Apartment Sooner

A waiting list that can run for years is not a housing plan on its own, so keep other options moving.

3 bedrooms apartment in Kensington, Outside NYC — Philadelphia apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to Ruth Street Civic House first

4 bedrooms apartment in Kensington, Outside NYC — Philadelphia apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to Ruth Street Civic House first

Voucher in hand: browse Section 8 apartments in Philadelphia.
Nearby neighborhoods: Harrowgate and East Kensington. For local voucher figures, see Section 8 in Kensington.
No voucher yet: read the Philadelphia Section 8 guide and check which waiting lists are open.
Other income-based buildings where you apply directly: see low-income apartments.
NKCDC's other buildings: Orinoka Civic House and Coral Street Arts House are on NKCDC's apartments page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ruth Street Civic House taking applications?

Yes. The owner's page said applications were open on October 6, 2026, and the application says the waiting list always accepts them. Whether an apartment is vacant now is not published.

How much is rent at Ruth Street Civic House?

The owner says about 30% of household income. Posted maximums, dated November 2025, are $341, $565 and $1,013 for a one-bedroom and $397, $665 and $1,203 for a two-bedroom, by income level.

How much can you earn and still qualify for Ruth Street Civic House?

Up to 50% of area median income. The building's posted limit is $41,800 for one person and $59,700 for four. PHFA's 2026 limits are $42,950 and $61,350.

Does Ruth Street Civic House take Section 8?

All 44 apartments already have PHA rent assistance attached to the apartment, so a voucher is not needed. The owner has not published how a household that already holds a voucher is handled.

Is there a lottery for Ruth Street Civic House?

Not now. A lottery ordered the households that applied by December 31, 2025. Applications since then go on the waiting list in the order received.

Is 2721 Ruth Street the same building as 2721-69 Ruth Street?

Yes. The owner's page uses 2721 Ruth Street. City permits, the property record and the rental application use 2721-69 Ruth Street. Applications go to 2771 Ruth Street, Suite 1.

Are the rents at Ruth Street Civic House below market?

Yes. HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 19134 is $1,280 for a one-bedroom and $1,530 for a two-bedroom. The highest posted maximums are $1,013 and $1,203.

Are pets allowed at Ruth Street Civic House?

No. The owner's FAQ says pets are not allowed, except service animals with proper documentation.

Sources for this article (15)

Ruth Street Civic House page (nkcdc.org)
frequently asked questions (nkcdc.org)
rental application (nkcdc.org)
permit records (opendataphilly.org)
Unit Based Program page (pha.phila.gov)
payment standards (pha.phila.gov)
2026 income and rent limits (phfa.org)
project page (cbparchitects.com)
report on the financing (rhls.org)
NKCDC, October 31, 2019 (nkcdc.org)
April 2026 (cbparchitects.com)
Rental Assistance Demonstration (pha.phila.gov)
Small Area Fair Market Rents (huduser.gov)
Spanish (nkcdc.org)
apartments page (nkcdc.org)

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Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected