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The city's incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has decided to make his home in the iconic Gracie Mansion, vacating the affordable apartment that sparked debate during his election bid.

An Iconic Home

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has been the official residence for most New York City mayors since the World War II era.

However, Mamdani, for whom affordable housing is a core policy, was not quick to announce his residency plans promptly after his electoral win in November.

"The choice came down to keeping my family safe and the imperative to dedicating all of my focus on implementing the platform on affordability the city's residents supported," stated Mamdani in his announcement.

A Fond Farewell

His home was in Astoria, Queens, a community known for its abundance of immigrant populations and culinary diversity.

"To Astoria: thank you for demonstrating the true spirit of New York City," he expressed.

"Although my address will change in the neighborhood, the community will forever remain within me and my work," he said.

Political Debate

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

But his opponents, including former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for occupying the apartment even though he hails from a well-known family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Not all mayors have opted to reside at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor, kept his residence in his private home on Manhattan's Upper East Side throughout his tenure, which ended in 2012.

In his view, Bloomberg argued it should be a place for official events, and advocated for a major refurbishment of the older mansion.

A Vastly Different Setting

Upon taking up residence at Gracie Mansion sometime around his swearing-in on 1 January, he will experience an environment far removed from his previous Astoria apartment.

Adorned in pale yellow exterior, green shutters, and pristine railings, Gracie Mansion is an ornate structure with views of the East River.

Internally, the lower floor of the historically styled mansion is furnished to reflect the home's early 19th-century origins.

The estate, which allegedly has five bedrooms, also includes fortified protections to secure the mayor and his family.

Ghostly Tales

Some residents have suggested that Gracie Mansion also has supernatural lodgers.

Chirlane McCray, the wife of previous mayor Bill De Blasio, informed the press that doors occasionally opened and closed by themselves, and the floorboards made strange noises.

Former Mayor Eric Adams was even more convinced. "It doesn't matter the skeptics say," he declared in 2022. "The place is haunted in there, man."

Affordable Housing Lifeline

The apartment he is leaving is under rent control, a policy where the city imposes caps on how much property owners can increase rent each year.

New Yorkers see such units as essential protections as the cost of housing exceeds the average income.

Data indicated Mamdani paid about $2,300 each month for his apartment.

According to the real estate platform Zillow, the typical monthly cost for a one-bedroom apartment in New York City is $3,500 a month.