BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – Renters booked a private pool for a party in an Oakland County neighborhood, and residents in the area said that turned into “total chaos.”
Birmingham neighbors told Local 4 “more than 150 people” flooded their quiet street and cars blocked streets and driveways. They also described public intoxication and lewd behavior in front of families and children.
Birmingham Police told Local 4 they were called multiple times Saturday to a home on Westchester Way, south of Maple, after a backyard pool was rented through the Swimply app, which allows homeowners to rent out their pools by the hour.
The rental appears to have originally been intended for about 40 guests at a cost of roughly $180 per hour. But as the afternoon progressed, police said the crowd grew far beyond that.
Police Chief Scott Grewe said officers first responded around 4 p.m. At that time, there were approximately 50 to 60 people at the home, and no laws were being violated.
Over the next several hours, however, the gathering continued to expand. Police received several calls between about 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., and officers returned to the home “four or five times.”
By the evening, police estimated the crowd had grown to a couple of hundred people.
Local 4 spoke with nearly a dozen residents, all of whom requested anonymity. Several said the neighborhood became gridlocked, with partygoers parking in private driveways, using the church parking lot across Maple and driving over lawns.
“People were parking in people’s driveways and in the church parking lot,” one neighbor said.
A few other neighbors were upset with the police response, saying, “Our entire neighborhood got taken over. They should be ashamed.”
Some neighbors said children were outside as they witnessed what they described as public intoxication and sexually explicit behavior.
Two neighbors recalled seeing women dancing on cars and partially exposing themselves as they “walked wearing a thong.”
“She kinda went to adjust herself and ... that’s an image you can’t get out of your head. There’s kids around here,” they said.
Another couple said they witnessed two women engaging in a sexual act.
Police said resources were stretched at the time because officers were also handling a serious injury crash on Woodward Avenue.
But around 8 p.m., officers said they determined the party had gotten out of hand as noise complaints continued. They said they shut the party down. The crowd had reportedly dispersed by approximately 9:30 p.m.
Police told Local 4 they issued parking tickets and cited both the host and the homeowner for noise violations. Police also arrested one visitor from outside Birmingham for driving with a suspended license. Investigators are also looking into a hit-and-run involving a parked vehicle that occurred during the evening.
“I have no opinion on short-term rentals, but to me it was a safety issue,” one neighbor said, who was upset with the response from police.
Police said they have addressed neighbors’ concerns immediately and plan to remain in communication with residents. Police added that the city plans to review what happened.
“This is the first of its kind in Birmingham as it relates to a pool being used, but it’s just like the short-term rentals and the concerns with those,” Grewe said.
Local 4 visited Birmingham City Hall and left messages with both the city manager and deputy city manager seeking comment. Our requests have not yet been fulfilled.
The homeowner later told Local 4 that he had allowed a friend to host the event and said he was unaware of any illegal activity:
“I’m aware that some of my neighbors are upset about a pool party this past Saturday at my home. While my neighbors may be annoyed, I am not aware of any illegal activity and from what I understand, the noise level at the party was within the appropriate levels. I will address things with my neighbors privately to ensure we are aligned on expectations for our community. Unfortunately, some of the responses I’ve received from neighbors have been condescending and with perceived racial undertones. This will not be tolerated. Nor will the apparent doxing that has taken place on Internet forums such as Facebook, where my name, my daughter’s name, my address, my telephone number and the school my children attend were publicized - as well as encouragement to contact news forums such as WDIV. This is textbook harassment. I have informed the Birmingham police of this behavior and intend to pursue all legal remedies available.”
The Birmingham City Commission and Planning Board are scheduled to hold a joint meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the Department of Public Services facility located at 851 S. Eton Road. Short-term rentals are on the agenda, and police said the Westchester Way incident will likely be discussed.
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Neighbors told Local 4 they have spoken with roughly 50 residents who are concerned about short-term rentals and say anger has only intensified since Saturday’s incident.
Previous short-term rental incident in Birmingham
On April 11, a party at an Airbnb on East Lincoln in Birmingham ended in gunfire. Police said the gathering had been advertised on social media. Witnesses reported hearing an argument followed by multiple gunshots, and shell casings were recovered at the scene. Video from nearby homes showed several people fleeing.
Officers located one person with a handgun who had run from the house, and several others were detained for questioning.
Three men — Larry Hunter, Jaelin Johnson and Malik Jerome Albert Parker — were later charged with assault with intent to murder.