Frequently Asked Questions

We are here to help! To start, here are some answers to frequently asked questions.

I've submitted my application. Now What?

Thank you for submitting your application to Pathways to Hope. If you provided an email address, you will receive a confirmation email from pathways@uwaydelaware.org. If you provided an email address and did NOT receive a confirmation email, your application has not submitted. Please call our office or see below FAQs for troubleshooting. If you did not provide an email address, you may call the United Way Pathways to Hope office at (740) 417-4733 (opt.2) to ensure your application has been received.

Once we receive your application, a Community Navigator from United Way of Delaware County will be in contact with you as soon as possible. Please note that we are experiencing higher than usual volume and applicants can expect to hear from a navigator within 15 business days. Applications with eviction notices will be given priority.

Applicants that have successfully submitted will receive a confirmation email from no-reply@socialsolutions.com. If you have not received confirmation, this is your first time submitting an application and you have checked both your inbox and your spam filter, please see “Why am I unable to submit my application?

In the meantime, please review the Frequently Asked Questions below

I’ve submitted an application or received help in the past. Would I be eligible for more assistance?

Due to the changing nature and multiple funding streams of the Pathways to Hope program, application approvals are prioritized by eviction status and income eligibility. If you have completed an application in the past, please contact pathways@uwaydelaware.org.

What are my next steps?

Ensure that you have attached all necessary documentation to your application. To process your application, please provide:

Proof of Delaware County residency
Proof of all household Income from the last 30 days
Any additional information relevant to your case. This can include an eviction or shut off notice.

If you did not include these documents in your application, please email them to pathways@uwaydelaware.org

Communicate to your landlord that you have applied for Pathways to Hope rental assistance and let them know they should be hearing from us shortly.

As your application is processed, it will be assigned to one of our caseworkers. They will reach out to you if additional action is needed.

How long will the process take?

We are experiencing higher than usual volume and applicants can expect to hear from a navigator within 15 business days. Applications with eviction notices will be given priority. If you have any immediate concerns, please email pathways@uwaydelaware.org or call

(740) 417-4733 (opt.2).

Once our caseworker has begun work on your case, the length of the process will be dependent on responsiveness of your landlord as well as your responsiveness as they get the paperwork together.

Why am I unable to submit my application?

If you are unable to submit your application, it might be because you are already in our system. If you have applied in the past, contact your Pathways to Hope caseworker directly or contact our office at 740-417-4733 or pathways@uwaydelaware.org for assistance.

If this is the first time you have filled out the application form, ensure you have filled out all the required form fields (marked with a red star) then click the submit button in the bottom right corner of the screen. If you are still unable to submit the form, contact our office.

Can I apply without using a computer?

Yes, but keep in mind that online applications are processed faster than physical copies and can also be accessed on any mobile phone. There are paper copies of the application at the Family Resource Center office located in the Willis School Building at 74 W. William Street, Delaware at the Washington St. entrance. Copies of supporting documents will still be needed with this application method.

What should I do if I need to make changes to my application?

Please do not submit a new application. Instead, contact your caseworker directly or reach out to our office for assistance.

How will I know when my rent has been paid?

After a check for rent has been written in your behalf, the caseworker handling your case will send you a confirmation that your assistance check has been issued.

Will I be notified if my application is denied?

Yes, we will be in contact with you to explain the reasoning behind your case’s ineligibility and will always do our best to match you with other resources for your situation.

I did not get a confirmation email when I submitted my application.

If you supplied an email when you filled out your application, you should have received a confirmation email that your application has been submitted. If you did not receive this email, we have not received your application. This may have happened if you failed to click the “submit” button at the bottom of the screen.

If you have applied to our program before and are already in our system, you will be unable to submit a new application. Please contact our caseworker who handled your application last time or contact our office for further information.

How many months of assistance can my household receive?

As of June 1, 2022, a household will be eligible for one month of assistance every 365 days. Availability of funds and applicant need will also dictate number of months paid in advance.

In addition to the month of assistance, households may also be eligible for assistance with rental deposits and money owed in arrears.

Note that at this time homeowners are being referred to one of our Pathways to Hope partners for expanded utility and mortgage assistance. If you are a homeowner in need of utility assistance, please contact People In Need at 740-363-6284.

When will I be contacted?

Your caseworker will reach out to you via your preferred form of communication (call, text, or email) marked on your application. Please check these forms of communication regularly and check your spam box for messages. You will hear from them within 15 business days.

Please note that our email correspondence will come from an agency email address ending in “uwaydelaware.org”. Be cautious about sending personally identifiable information to anyone requesting sensitive information from an email account that does not appear to belong to a local organization.

What if my landlord threatens me with an eviction or I already have an eviction notice?

Let us know in your application that you have received the eviction notice. This will help us to get your case processed more quickly.

Let your landlord know that you are seeking assistance from Pathways to Hope. Feel free to have them reach out to us with any questions they have. Refer them to our website delawarecountypathways.org.

To view more resources provided by our partners at The Columbus Legal Aid Society, visit the Tenant Self-Help Hub. Ohio law has a process which the landlord must follow. The landlord must wait three full days after giving you the notice [to leave the premises] before he can take the next step in the process, which is to file an eviction complaint in municipal court. If the landlord files an eviction complaint in court, you will be served with court papers. The top page of those papers will tell you the time and date of the eviction hearing. The hearing will probably be scheduled for 14 days from the date the complaint was filed.

Remember that a verbal eviction or a written eviction notice that has not been filed in municipal court cannot be used to legally evict you.

I’m not eligible for Pathways to Hope assistance. Are there other resources for me?

Yes! Our partners at Bridges Community Action (740-369-3184), People in Need (740-363-6284), The Salvation Army (740-815-4417), and St. Vincent De Paul (740-417-3410) may be able to assist with housing. Additionally, other resources can be found by contacting Helpline by dialing 211 or texting HELPLINE to 898211. You can also apply for assistance from the Ohio Department of Development online at https://development.ohio.gov/individual/energy-assistance/home-relief-grant.

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