PHOENIX — When Alyssa Gillaspy and her wife reached out to try to rent a house near 89th Avenue and McDowell Road in West Phoenix, she was shocked at the email messages she received from landlord Gary Faulkinbury.
Faulkinbury apparently told her he was not accepting anyone receiving government payments because of President Trump.
“When we inquired on the home and got that back, it was very shocking," said Gillaspy, who is receiving benefits for her post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq.
One of the emails to Gillaspy reads in part: "You stupid [expletive]. It’s called qualification. Trump is causing this not me. Get a job because he’s cutting your benefits and there’s nothing you can do," said Faulkinbury.
Team 12's Mike Gonzalez talked to Gillaspy via Skype from her Olympia, Washington, home.
She was still trying to figure out why the landlord had such a fear that President Trump would pull funding from veterans. Faulkinbury was apparently upset the president is threatening to build a wall on the Mexican border, in turn putting her disability benefits at risk.
“He made it seem like I get my check personally from Trump, like he signs it to me. For one, Trump is for the military, so that’s the last thing he’d do is pull funding," said Gillaspy
Mike Gonzalez talked to the landlord, Gary Faulkinbury, on the phone Wednesday morning. He wouldn’t go into detail about the messages but did say he regrets what happened.
He said he is currently renting to veterans and people with disabilities.
Faulkinbury did send an apology text this afternoon to Gillaspy saying he regrets what happened. But she says it’s a little late for that now.
"It may have been an apology, but there were no meanings behind the words," said Gillaspy.
Gillaspy says now that she’s shared her story with the media, she’s received several inquiries from realtors wanting to help a veteran out.
“It definitely restores my faith in humanity," said Gillaspy.
Gillaspy says Faulkinbury has invited her to fill out an application for the home but she says she will not be pursuing that any longer.
"No, we are moving on. That's not an option anymore. We have some other prospects. We've had several realtors reach out to us when they heard about our story," Gillaspy.
Remember, if you go to rent a property, you cannot be discriminated against because of race, religion, family status, sexual orientation, disability or handicap including a mental impairment here in Phoenix.
Gillaspy is looking into taking legal action, but she says her main focus is finding a home in Phoenix by Nov. 1.