🔗 Share this article The Mayor-Elect confirms he will live in historic Gracie Mansion New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani New York City's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, has confirmed to live in the traditional Gracie Mansion, leaving behind his rent-controlled apartment that was a central issue during his election bid. An Iconic Home Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has served as the official residence for most New York City mayors from the World War II era. Yet, Mamdani, for whom housing costs is a central policy, hesitated to declare his residency plans right away after his victory in November. "This decision rested on our family's safety and the importance of dedicating my full attention on carrying out the affordability agenda the city's residents voted for," the Mayor-Elect declared in a statement. Thanking a Neighborhood Mamdani lived in the Queens borough of Astoria, an area renowned for its abundance of immigrant communities and global cuisine. "To the people of Astoria: many thanks for showing us what is great about New York City," he expressed. "Even though I'm moving there, Astoria will continue to reside inside me and my work," he said. A Contentious Issue During his election campaign, Mamdani connected his key pledge – halting rent increases – to his circumstances as a tenant. Yet his opponents, mainly ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, criticised Mamdani for living in the affordable housing even though he is from a famous family. Not All Mayors Stayed Not every mayor have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion. Michael Bloomberg, the business magnate, preferred to remain in his private home on the Upper East Side throughout his three terms, which ended in 2012. Rather, Bloomberg argued it could serve as a space for public city functions, and championed an extensive renovation of the older mansion. The facade of Gracie Mansion in New York City. A Vastly Different Setting When Mamdani moves into Gracie Mansion for his swearing-in on 1 January, he will find himself in an environment very different than his previous Astoria home. Adorned in pale yellow exterior, emerald shutters, and bright white balustrades, Gracie Mansion is an ornate structure overlooking the East River. Internally, the lower floor of the historically styled mansion is furnished consistent with the home's historical period. The compound, which allegedly has five bedrooms, also boasts enhanced security to secure the mayor and his family. Ghostly Tales A number of people have alleged that Gracie Mansion also has supernatural lodgers. Chirlane McCray, the spouse of former mayor Bill De Blasio, once said that doors occasionally opened and closing inexplicably, and the floors emitted odd sounds. The departing mayor Eric Adams was adamant. "I don't care the skeptics say," he insisted in 2022. "It has spirits in there, man." Affordable Housing Lifeline The apartment he is leaving is rent stabilised, a policy where the city imposes caps on how much property owners can hike the monthly cost each year. New Yorkers view rent-stabilized housing as valuable lifelines as the cost of housing rises faster than the means of many residents. Records showed Mamdani paid about $2,300 each month for his apartment. Based on data from the property website Zillow, the median rent for a studio or one-bedroom in New York City is $3,500 a month.