Paul Pogozelski, a dedicated small business owner and community activist, is gearing up for his campaign to represent District 30 on the New York City Council in 2025.
With a passion for his neighborhood and its residents, Pogozelski officially launched his campaign, “Paul4NYC,” last month, marking the beginning of a promising journey to bring positive change to the communities of Ridgewood, Middle Village, Maspeth, and more.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, Pogozelski held his first fundraiser, an invite-only event that turned out to be a resounding success. Nearly 100 attendees gathered to show their support for his campaign, helping raise more than $3,000 in donations—double what he had initially expected. The event provided Pogozelski with a significant boost of confidence as he moves forward in his bid for public office.
A lifelong resident of the area, Pogozelski has long been committed to serving his community. He currently serves as the president of the Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association and also leads the Middle Village Players Roller Hockey League, where he has worked to foster a sense of unity and community engagement. His hands-on involvement in local organizations has earned him respect and admiration from his peers, many of whom came out to support him at the fundraiser.
As he embarks on his campaign, Pogozelski remains focused on preserving the unique character of his neighborhoods. He is dedicated to ensuring that places like Middle Village, Ridgewood, and Maspeth remain vibrant and thriving “oases” amid the ever-changing landscape of New York City.
As a big supporter of current Council Member Robert Holden, Pogozelski saw that nobody in his office would be stepping up in an attempt to replace him for next year’s City Council elections, and he wanted to make the move himself. Holden’s seat will be vacant as he will be term-limited out of office by the end of 2025.
“Looking at the field of candidates, I didn’t feel like they had the community’s best interests at heart. I’m a grassroots guy. I do a lot of stuff in the parks and around the neighborhood. I care about it, and I want to stay here, and I feel like if we don’t step up and at least hold the people looking for the position accountable, then we’re not doing our job as civilians of this town,” stated Pogozelski.
Pogozelski moved to the area in 2017 after growing up on Long Island. He became heavily involved with the community after the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Juniper Valley Park.
One of his constant goals for the community is keeping positivity high. He believes that a lot of the beneficial aspects of the local areas are overlooked due to negative events and news, which are always a factor.
“At the end of the day, if we keep championing the positive workings of the neighborhood, I think that’s what I really want to go forward with. There are so many people who do stewardships that go unnoticed in the parks, and people who volunteer and give up their time, and none of this is championed,” explained Pogozelski.
“That’s honestly something I would like to encourage more if I get into office. I would like to increase the amount of stewardship and volunteering that goes on in the parks because even though there is a budget for New York City’s Parks Department or NYPD or DSNY, there’s no reason why if we go around and see a bottle or can on the floor, we can pick it up and throw it in the recycling.”
He highlighted that there are so many things members of the local communities can do, and he wants to lead by example with his family right behind him. Pogozelski has three sons, the eldest of whom comes out alongside him and his wife to volunteer with the various events in the community.
“If you care about your family first and then your community second, I think you’re going to be a very successful person,” he added.
Pogozelski will be holding a second fundraiser on Dec. 18. Due to possible capacity restrictions, it is yet to be decided if it will also be invite-only.
His fundraising campaign will run until around February next year, and in March, he will begin petitioning to be an official candidate on the ballot.
Pogozelski acknowledged that he is not a politician by trade, but after working with the Roller Hockey League, he gradually found himself wanting to work in civics and is now running to be a City Council Member.
“There are a lot of people that need different things around the neighborhood, and being attentive to those needs and caring for those people is what I’m hoping to bring to the table,” he stated.
