🔗 Share this article

NYC's next chief executive, Zohran Mamdani, has decided to make his home in the traditional Gracie Mansion, departing from the rent-stabilised apartment that sparked debate during his run for office.

An Iconic Home

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has functioned as the mayoral home for nearly all New York City mayors since the World War II era.

Yet, Mamdani, for whom rent control is a key platform, did not confirm his residency plans immediately after his electoral win in November.

"The choice came down to our family's safety and the importance of focusing my complete efforts on implementing the affordability agenda New Yorkers supported," stated Mamdani on Monday.

Leaving Astoria

Mamdani lived in Astoria, Queens, an area renowned for its vibrant immigrant communities and global cuisine.

"To Astoria: many thanks for exemplifying the true spirit of New York City," Mamdani's statement said.

"While I may no longer live there, it will forever remain inside me and my efforts as mayor," he affirmed.

Campaign Controversy

Throughout his race for mayor, Mamdani linked his central policy – halting rent increases – to his own housing situation.

Yet his critics, most notably one-time governor Andrew Cuomo, criticised Mamdani for occupying the rent-stabilized unit despite the fact that he hails from a famous family.

A House Not Always Used

Not all mayors have opted to reside at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor, preferred to remain in his own townhouse on the Upper East Side throughout his three terms, which concluded in 2012.

Instead, Bloomberg argued it should be a space for public city functions, and championed a major refurbishment of the historic mansion.

A Grand New Home

As he settles into Gracie Mansion for his swearing-in on 1 January, he will be surrounded by an environment a stark contrast to his previous Astoria apartment.

With its cream-colored walls, green shutters, and pristine railings, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house situated by the East River.

Internally, the lower floor of the classically designed mansion is decorated to reflect the home's historical period.

The estate, which reportedly has five bedrooms, also has fortified protections to protect the mayor and his family.

Ghostly Tales

A number of people have alleged that Gracie Mansion also has ghostly inhabitants.

Chirlane McCray, the partner of former 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 what people claim," he stated in 2022. "There are ghosts in there, man."

A Critical Policy Issue

The apartment he is leaving is under rent control, a policy where the city regulates on how much building managers can raise the rent each year.

Tenants see such units as valuable lifelines as the cost of housing outpaces the means of many residents.

It was reported Mamdani was paying approximately $2,300 each month for his apartment.

Per figures from the real estate platform Zillow, the average rent for a single-bedroom unit in New York City is $3,500 a month.