🔗 Share this article Zohran Mamdani affirms his intention to make his home in the iconic Gracie Mansion New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani NYC's incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, will opt to make his home in the traditional Gracie Mansion, departing from the rent-stabilised apartment that became a focal point throughout his campaign. A Traditional Abode Built in 1799, Gracie Mansion has been the mayoral home for the majority of New York City mayors since the post-war period. However, Mamdani, for whom housing costs is a central policy, hesitated to declare he would live there immediately after his triumph in November. "My choice came down to keeping my family safe and the importance of focusing all of my focus on implementing the affordability agenda the city's residents supported," the Mayor-Elect declared in a statement. Leaving Astoria He resided in Astoria, Queens, a community renowned for its abundance of cultural enclaves and culinary diversity. "To my neighbors in Astoria: thank you for demonstrating the true spirit of New York City," he noted. "Although my address will change there, the community will always live inside me and my work," he affirmed. A Contentious Issue During his election campaign, Mamdani connected his central policy – a rent freeze – to his personal living arrangements. Yet his rivals, mainly ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for occupying the rent-stabilized unit even though he hails from a well-known family. Previous Exceptions Some mayors have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion. Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire entrepreneur, kept his residence in his personal mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side for his tenure, which wrapped up in 2012. Rather, Bloomberg felt it could serve as a space for public city functions, and championed a major refurbishment of the historic mansion. The facade of Gracie Mansion in New York City. A Grand New Home As he settles into Gracie Mansion near his swearing-in on 1 January, he will experience a setting a stark contrast to his previous Astoria digs. Adorned in cream-colored walls, emerald shutters, and bright white balustrades, Gracie Mansion is a picturesque home with views of the East River. Within, the ground floor of the Federal-style mansion is appointed to reflect the home's historical period. The property, which reportedly has five bedrooms, also has enhanced security to safeguard the mayor and his family. Haunted History Past occupants have suggested that Gracie Mansion also has ghostly inhabitants. Chirlane McCray, the spouse of previous mayor Bill De Blasio, once said that doors occasionally opened and closed by themselves, and the floorboards creaked eerily. The departing mayor Eric Adams was more certain. "I don't care the skeptics say," he declared in 2022. "It has spirits in there, man." A Critical Policy Issue The apartment he is leaving is rent-stabilized, a policy where the city regulates on how much landlords can raise the rent each year. City residents view rent-stabilized housing as essential protections as the cost of housing outpaces the average income. Data indicated Mamdani was paying approximately $2,300 each month for his apartment. Based on data from real estate analysts Zillow, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in New York City is $3,500 a month.