🔗 Share this article New York's next mayor confirms plans to reside in historic Gracie Mansion New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani The city's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, has decided to take up residence in the traditional Gracie Mansion, vacating the rent-stabilised apartment that became a focal point in his run for office. An Iconic Home Built in 1799, Gracie Mansion has served as the official residence for most New York City mayors after the World War II era. But, Mamdani, for whom affordable housing is a central issue, did not confirm his residency plans immediately following his triumph in November. "This decision was based on the security of my family and the imperative to focusing my full attention on carrying out the affordability agenda the city's residents elected me on," Mamdani said in his announcement. Thanking a Neighborhood Mamdani lived in the Astoria neighbourhood, a district famous for its abundance of cultural enclaves and culinary diversity. "To my neighbors in Astoria: my gratitude for demonstrating the true spirit of New York City," he expressed. "Even though I'm moving there, the community will always live within me and my efforts as mayor," he said. A Contentious Issue In his election campaign, Mamdani tied his central policy – a rent freeze – to his own housing situation. Yet his opponents, including ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, challenged Mamdani for living in the rent-stabilized unit although he is from a well-known family. A House Not Always Used Some mayors have decided to stay at Gracie Mansion. Michael Bloomberg, the business magnate, chose to live in his personal mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side for his three terms, which ended in 2012. In his view, Bloomberg argued it could serve as a venue for public city functions, and advocated for a major refurbishment of the aging mansion. The outside of Gracie Mansion in New York City. A Vastly Different Setting When Mamdani moves into Gracie Mansion for his first day on 1 January, he will be surrounded by surroundings far removed from his modest Astoria home. With its cream-colored walls, green shutters, and white railings, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house overlooking the East River. Inside, the first floor of the historically styled mansion is decorated consistent with the home's historical period. The estate, which allegedly has several bedrooms, also includes fortified protections to secure the mayor and his family. Supernatural Speculation Some residents have suggested that Gracie Mansion also has ghostly inhabitants. Chirlane McCray, the partner of ex-mayor Bill De Blasio, informed the press that they experienced doors opening and shutting on their own, and the floorboards made strange noises. The departing mayor Eric Adams was even more convinced. "It doesn't matter the skeptics say," he stated in 2022. "The place is haunted in there, man." The Value of Rent Stabilization Mamdani's current apartment is rent stabilised, which means the city imposes caps on how much building managers can raise the rent each year. City residents see such units as valuable lifelines as the housing expenses outpaces the means of many residents. Data indicated Mamdani his rent was $2,300 each month for his apartment. Based on data from the real estate platform Zillow, the typical monthly cost for a single-bedroom unit in New York City is $3,500 a month.