🔗 Share this article

New York City's next chief executive, Zohran Mamdani, has confirmed to live in the historic Gracie Mansion, departing from the rent-stabilised apartment that became a focal point throughout his election bid.

A Historic Residence

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has served as the mayoral home for nearly all New York City mayors from the post-war period.

However, Mamdani, for whom affordable housing is a key issue, did not confirm his residency plans promptly following his victory in November.

"The choice rested on our family's safety and the importance of directing my complete efforts on implementing the affordability agenda the city's residents supported," stated Mamdani on Monday.

A Fond Farewell

His home was in the Astoria neighbourhood, a district famous for its diverse immigrant communities and international dining.

"To the people of Astoria: many thanks for showing us what is great about New York City," he noted.

"Although my address will change there, Astoria will forever remain a part of me and my efforts as mayor," he said.

A Contentious Issue

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani connected his key pledge – to freeze the rent – to his own housing situation.

Yet his critics, mainly one-time governor Andrew Cuomo, criticised Mamdani for living in the affordable housing although he is from a well-known family.

Previous Exceptions

Not every mayor have opted to reside at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor, chose to live in his private home on Manhattan's Upper East Side for his time in office, which wrapped up in 2012.

In his view, Bloomberg felt it should be a venue for official events, and championed significant upgrades of the historic mansion.

A Vastly Different Setting

Upon taking up residence at Gracie Mansion for his inauguration on 1 January, he will be surrounded by surroundings far removed from his modest Astoria apartment.

Featuring pale yellow exterior, green shutters, and pristine railings, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house with views of the East River.

Within, the ground floor of the historically styled mansion is appointed consistent with the home's original era.

The compound, which allegedly has five bedrooms, also includes increased security measures to safeguard the mayor and his family.

Ghostly Tales

Past occupants have claimed that Gracie Mansion also has supernatural lodgers.

Chirlane McCray, the spouse of former mayor Bill De Blasio, once said that they experienced doors opening and closed by themselves, and the floorboards made strange noises.

Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams was even more convinced. "It doesn't matter the skeptics say," he declared in 2022. "The place is haunted in there, man."

The Value of Rent Stabilization

Mamdani's current apartment is rent stabilised, a policy where the city imposes caps on how much building managers can hike the monthly cost each year.

New Yorkers see such units as essential protections as the price of rent rises faster than the means of many residents.

Records showed Mamdani was paying approximately $2,300 each month for his apartment.

According to the property website Zillow, the typical monthly cost for a studio or one-bedroom in New York City is $3,500 a month.