JACKSON, N.J. – A Jackson Township homeowners association is defending gender-segregated swimming hours at its community pool as the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights investigates a discrimination complaint filed by two residents.
The development, announced before the rapid growth of Orthodox Jewish residents, initially attracted non-Jewish buyers but has recently been advertised as an exclusive Orthodox Jewish Enclave.
Anthony and Jennifer Lo Grasso filed an administrative civil-rights complaint against The Club at Jackson 21 Homeowners Association in July, challenging pool rules that sharply limit the time men and women can swim together. The matter is being handled through the state civil-rights process rather than as a traditional Superior Court or federal lawsuit.
The HOA maintains that the schedule accommodates the religious practices of many residents in the predominantly Orthodox Jewish community. Attorney Ronald Karpoff, representing the association, said in papers filed with the state that observant residents requested separate swimming periods because of religious modesty practices.
It was a schedule that early residents in the community never asked for and didn’t expect.
- Anthony and Jennifer Lo Grasso filed the discrimination complaint with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights.
- The disputed 2026 schedule reportedly provides only three hours of co-ed swimming per day, with other periods separated by sex.
- The HOA argues the schedule accommodates religious observance and does not unlawfully deprive residents of access to the pool.
HOA Cites Religious Modesty Practices
“A large number of the residents of the community are religiously observant Jews,” Karpoff wrote in legal papers filed with the state.
Karpoff said those residents observe the principle of modesty, known as tzniut, which can include avoiding mixed-gender swimming and appearing in bathing attire around members of the opposite sex.
According to the HOA’s response, the separate swimming periods were not imposed without resident input. Karpoff said the rules followed requests from “numerous residents” beginning in 2024.
The dispute centers on how the association balances those religious accommodations with the rights of homeowners who want greater access to the community pool without gender-based restrictions.
State Civil Rights Investigation Underway
The Lo Grassos contend that the 2026 schedule discriminates based on sex because co-ed swimming is limited to three hours daily while the remaining swimming periods are divided between men and women.
The state investigation could determine whether the allegations warrant further action. The discrimination claims remain allegations, and no finding that the HOA violated New Jersey civil-rights law has been made.
The case could have broader implications for homeowners associations seeking to accommodate religious practices while operating shared amenities available to residents with differing religious beliefs and lifestyles.
Who filed the complaint against The Club at Jackson 21?
Jackson residents Anthony and Jennifer Lo Grasso filed the complaint with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights in July.
Why does the HOA have separate swimming hours?
The HOA says many residents are observant Orthodox Jews who follow religious modesty practices that discourage mixed-gender swimming.
Has the state ruled that the pool schedule is discriminatory?
No. The complaint remains under investigation, and the allegations have not resulted in a state finding that the HOA violated civil-rights law.
Sources: New Jersey Division on Civil Rights complaint information and legal filings published by the victim.
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