Police shut down crowded pool party at NJ home rented online

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (Gloucester) — Police said they broke up a pool party at a private home with roughly more than 100 people in attendance on Monday night, who had paid $40 a head for entrance.

The party at a residence on Bells Lake Road in the Turnersville section of Washington Township was promoted as a “mansion party” complete with party bus service, a hookah, food, drinks, vendors, dancers and bottles of liquor for sale, according to Washington Township police.

When officers arrived, there was trash on the residential street and in several adjacent yards, loud music, intoxicated people and a large volume of cars parked all over the neighborhood, police said.

After speaking to security guards hired for the party, police determined the house had been rented out via a marketplace website for the event, which they shut down.

The homeowner was cited for violating municipal ordinances for loud music and littering and also was issued a disorderly persons offense.

A car was towed and several parking tickets also were written out, according to police.

It's not the first time the same house has been rented out, police added, who said the homeowner had been issued citations for violating zoning and noise ordinances in the past.

Police have increased local patrols on Bells Lake Road, while announcing they will not tolerate these type of parties, as promoted on sites like booking.com, VRBO and Airbnb.

"These parties at this residence have put a strain on the resources of the Washington Twp. Police, causing most available officers on duty and neighboring towns to respond to bring them under control," the department said on its Facebook page.

"We will use all available resources to maintain the peace in our community including noise metering, traffic and parking enforcement citations, local ordinance violations and criminally charging the homeowner with maintaining a nuisance," police continued.

Further north in Union County, residents of Westfield have complained about a home's pool being rented via the Swimply app, which reportedly has prompted noisy crowds and even drone use above the area.

Neighbors told CBS New York that 20-30 cars pull up on weekend nights and said a Porta Potty was placed in the driveway.

Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro told CBS New York that the homeowner told him they’re trying to pay the mortgage by renting out the pool and doesn’t believe it violates any town ordinances.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ