A neglected memorial plaza in trendy Greenpoint has been overrun by vagrants and trash as unkempt weeds and plant life encroach on the tribute to a beloved Roman Catholic priest, locals said.

Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Square in Greenpoint, a tucked-away green space located just steps from the bustling McCarren Park, has become a local eyesore in the Polish enclave that reeks of garbage, according to residents and local politicians.

“We’ve had chronic issues in this square for years,” city Councilman Lincoln Restler told The Post.

“It’s right next to McCarren Park — immediately adjacent to the largest park in the neighborhood — and we have too few park staff to keep that park clean. Unfortunately, the plaza has also suffered.

“I think we need to collectively do a better job of prioritizing the maintenance of this area,” he added. “It’s an eyesore, rather than a dangerous condition.”

“Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Square is an incredibly important Greenpoint memorial, with great significance to our Polish American constituents in particular,” noted Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, adding she attended a vigil in 2021 after the statue of Father Popiełuszko was “heinously vandalized.”

“Unfortunately, odors, trash, and people struggling with substance use and/or houselessness are frequent issues in parks across the city, and I support my NYC Council counterpart, Councilmember Restler, in his efforts to work with the NYC Parks Department to ensure our parks are clean, healthy, and safe for all who use them.”

Locals have complained about the state of the square for years, Restler said, and volunteer groups and nonprofits like the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance have since picked up the slack.

But the quality-of-life issues — exacerbated by a lack of Parks staffing — has made it an increasingly tall order for volunteers to handle.

Former Greenpoint resident Julianna Curcio, 23, stopped to enjoy the shade and quiet provided at the plaza on Sunday — and was shocked to see more than a half-dozen vagrants drinking, smoking and sleeping in the square.

“That is definitely disappointing, that I feel like the city is just not taking care of this space as well,” she said.

“I used to live in Italian Williamsburg, and I know of monuments when my grandma lived there, and that kind of stuff meant a lot to them,” she added, “so I could see that being really disappointing to Polish Americans who’ve lived here. I feel like this specific park is just a little bit overlooked.” 

“We perform daily cleanups at Father Jerzy Popieluszko Square, which sees heavy use, especially during the summertime,” a Parks rep said. “Our Parks Enforcement Patrol coordinates with DHS on homeless outreach on a regular basis.

“We encourage visitors to respect our public spaces and properly dispose of any trash,” the rep added. “NYC Parks staff work daily to keep our parks and greenspaces free of trash and debris, from emptying trash cans to picking up litter from our shared spaces.” 

Father Jerzy Popiełuszko was a Polish Roman Catholic priest and outspoken anti-communist advocate. He has since been recognized as a martyr for the faith following his assassination by communist secret police in 1984.

The monument in Greenpoint — the Brooklyn enclave known as having the second-largest Polish population in the United States after Chicago — was dedicated to him in October 1990.

“It’s an important public space for our whole community, but especially for the Polish community in Greenpoint,” Restler said. “He was a beloved individual, and it’s important that we maintain this space properly in his honor.” 

Since last week, Parks has been sending multiple folks out daily to improve conditions, Restler said.

In the meantime, his office has “encouraged” some of the volunteer groups to do garbage pickup and maintenance in McCarren Park to include the lesser-known square on their route moving forward. 

But some advocates, like Marek Skulimowski, the president and executive director of the Kosciuszko Foundation, say the treatment of the plaza is part of a larger pattern.

“The neglect of Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Square in Greenpoint is deeply troubling, and a similar lack of care affects the monument to General Thaddeus Kościuszko only a few hundred yards away near the Kosciuszko Bridge,” Skulimowski told The Post.

“Since the local authorities officially approved these monuments, they should establish a regular maintenance mechanism worthy of their significance,” he added, “just as monuments to American heroes, including Presidents Washington, Wilson and Hoover and fallen American airmen, are properly cared for in Poland — because we must remember our heroes to build a better future.”