Tenants being forced out near Chambers Bay so homes can be rented out for U.S. Open

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. -- In less than two months, the U.S. Open will be coming to the Pacific Northwest for the first time. There are not a lot of hotels near Chambers Bay, so many of the homes near the course are being put up for rent.

Dawn Brundage was shocked when she got an eviction notice on her door last week. She knew her rental home was close to Chambers Bay golf course, and she had asked if she might lose it when the tournament came to town.

“I had been assured for years from not only the property management company and the owner himself, that we were valued customers and we would have our home.”

But Brundage was on a month-to-month lease. So by law, her landlord only has to give her 20 days notice to leave.

“Legally I don't believe he's done anything wrong,” she says. “But morally and ethically...”

Q13 FOX News contacted BCI Properties in Tacoma, the company listing the home. They tell us the owner has seven homes near Chambers Bay. He agreed to let some of his tenants stay, but decided to put three homes up for rent during the tournament. He’s asking for more than $30,000 for the week.

“It makes me sick,” says Brundage, as she looked at the online listing.

But many homeowners near Chambers Bay are trying to capitalize on the tournament. Russell Bagley is being transferred for his job at the end of May, so he’s working with a realtor.

“We’re trying to rent the house,” he says. “Then after the tournament, we’ll put it up for sale.”

He says what he and his neighbors are doing isn’t new.

“People rent out their homes for vacation all the time all over the world.”

Rick Martin knows he could make a little money by renting out his home, but he says he’d rather go to the tournament.

“When they first announced they were going to have it, people said they might be renting $4,000-$5,000 for the week. But I’m happy to be living here and able to attend it.”

Brundage doesn’t think she’ll be attending, since she doesn’t even know where she’ll be living in June. She just wishes her landlord had given her more time to plan her next move.

“I wouldn't have liked it, but I would have understood. The dishonesty part is what's really hard to deal with.”

One of the other tenants being evicted has been working with BCI Properties to find another place to live.

Brundage tells us she was never given that option. She was only told she could move back into her home after the tournament, but that the rent would be higher.