🔗 Share this article Zohran Mamdani confirms plans to make his home in the storied Gracie Mansion New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani New York City's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, will opt to take up residence in the iconic Gracie Mansion, leaving behind his rent-controlled apartment that sparked debate throughout his campaign. An Iconic Home Constructed in 1799, Gracie Mansion has functioned as the primary dwelling for the majority of New York City mayors from the World War II era. Yet, Mamdani, for whom housing costs is a core platform, hesitated to declare this decision right away following his triumph in November. "This decision was based on our family's safety and the importance of directing my complete efforts on implementing the agenda for affordability voters elected me on," Mamdani said on Monday. Thanking a Neighborhood He resided in Astoria, Queens, a district famous for its abundance of immigrant communities and global cuisine. "To Astoria: my gratitude for exemplifying the true spirit of New York City," Mamdani's statement said. "Even though I'm moving in the neighborhood, the community will always live inside me and my efforts as mayor," he said. A Contentious Issue During his campaign, Mamdani tied his core platform – a rent freeze – to his circumstances as a tenant. However his critics, including one-time governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for living in the apartment even though he is from a prominent family. Previous Exceptions Not all mayors have opted to reside at Gracie Mansion. Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire entrepreneur, chose to live in his own townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side throughout his time in office, which concluded in 2012. In his view, Bloomberg said he believed it could serve as a space for civic gatherings, and championed a major refurbishment of the older mansion. The facade of Gracie Mansion in New York City. A Grand New Home As he settles into Gracie Mansion sometime around his inauguration on 1 January, he will be surrounded by surroundings a stark contrast to his humble Astoria digs. Featuring pale yellow exterior, forest green window covers, and pristine railings, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house situated by the East River. Internally, the ground floor of the classically designed mansion is decorated in the spirit of the home's early 19th-century origins. The estate, which is said to has five bedrooms, also boasts enhanced security to secure the mayor and his family. Ghostly Tales Past occupants have claimed that Gracie Mansion also has supernatural lodgers. Chirlane McCray, the spouse of ex-mayor Bill De Blasio, told reporters that they experienced doors opening and closing inexplicably, and the floorboards creaked eerily. The departing mayor Eric Adams was even more convinced. "No matter the skeptics say," he insisted in 2022. "It has spirits in there, man." Affordable Housing Lifeline The apartment he is leaving is rent-stabilized, a policy where the city sets limits on how much building managers can raise the rent each year. Tenants view rent-stabilized housing as valuable lifelines as the price of rent outpaces the average income. Data indicated Mamdani paid about $2,300 each month for his apartment. According to the property website Zillow, the median rent for a studio or one-bedroom in New York City is $3,500 a month.