A sign of the times - Fallbrook senior seeks work in exchange for place to live

Though the current national financial strife may not be on everyone’s top topic list, it is still impacting many individuals and businesses throughout the country, including local residents. Homes have continued to be foreclosed on and businesses have gone by the wayside.

Sadly, the Fallbrook community has not been immune to this economic downturn, and some families have been forced out of their homes or had to close the doors to seemingly successful businesses.

One such homeowner, Rick Gossett, was forced to leave his home after living in Fallbrook for 33 years because of what he calls “predatory mortgage fraud” by his mortgage lenders, Freddie Mac and Wells Fargo.

“I was evicted from my house on April 20,” said Gossett, who is 67 years old. “I have been living with a friend in San Marcos, and have investigated practically every outreach available. Most, quite frankly, are overwhelmed with people in situations similar to my own.”

Two years ago, Gossett was financially secure, and was looking for a way to prepare for retirement. However, his plan to use real estate as a way to solidify his future fell through the cracks.

“I have really been devastated, and there was no duplicity on my part. I didn’t lie to get the loan on my house, and I was trying to be fiscally prudent,” said Gossett.

Gossett purchased a small home on Stage Coach Lane, which had been vacant for over a year, and began to remodel it. He was hoping to use the revenue to live off of during retirement, without a mortgage.

“My goal was to purchase it and sell a home I had on Elder St.,” he said. “I ended up having to liquidate everything I had, including my inventory from my [family’s] jewelry store and collection of vintage watches, in order to maintain the two houses. I did that for about ten months, and then was without the ability to pay the two mortgages. I wasn’t trying to be a land baron; it was strictly a transaction that would have left me without a mortgage. I have been conservative fiscally my entire life, with a high credit rating, and no negative credit impacts.”

While Gossett has gone to the ACLU and various government agencies, including the county’s department of housing and community development, the department of the treasury, the bureau of consumer financial protection, the comptroller of the currency administrator of national banks and the federally housing finance agency, to fight against the lenders that foreclosed on his home, he said the number of individuals going through similar crises have made it difficult for him to land on his own two feet.

“I just don’t know if I’ve talked to enough people or not,” said Gossett.

Though Gossett is living on Social Security, it is not sufficient to pay rent and provide the necessities that come with living on one’s own. To supplement his income, Gossett has looked for work, but to no avail. When attempting to acquire Section 8 housing, Gossett was told that it would take nearly a year to find him a home.

“I was hoping to get something with housework or yard work, or even a position as a caretaker or caregiver,” said Gossett, who believes his experience with the public and a variety of tasks makes him ideal for nearly any position offered to him.

“I certainly have no criminal background and have no derogatory habits,” he explained. “I don’t have any alcohol or drug problems. I am pretty clean and am an organized type of individual, and I have a lot of experience in dealing with what’s required in being a homeowner. I know how to take care of emergencies after having been a homeowner for most of my life. I have my own vehicle, which is paid for and in good repair.”

Prior to retirement, Gossett worked in manufacturing, fine jewelry and men’s apparel.

“I have work experience with fine jewelry, and our family store in Orange County was directly next to a senior retirement community, so I have 30-plus years dealing with senior citizens,” he explained. “About 12 years ago, we had a devastating situation that occurred in our jewelry store. We were involved in a daytime armed robbery, and our father was shot.”

Gossett stated that his father was paralyzed from the chest down. Because of concern for his father’s health, the family’s priority shifted to caring for their father’s health. This also kept Gossett from learning how to use computers, he said.

“Our family business didn’t have the need for computers,” he said. “After that, things became very hectic. I didn’t have any free time or the need for computers, so I missed out on that whole era.”

Gossett said he hopes to move back to Fallbrook “because it is his home, and has been for over 30 years.” He states that he is willing to do whatever he can to live in Fallbrook again.

“Fallbrook is still my home, and I don’t have any desire to live any place else,” he said. “I’m more comfortable in Fallbrook than any place on Earth, and it is really important [for me] to get back there.”

To contact Gossett, write to P.O. Box 1582, Fallbrook, Calif. 92088, or call (760) 728-0671.

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