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The city's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, has confirmed to live in the traditional Gracie Mansion, departing from the rent-stabilised apartment that became a focal point throughout his run for office.

An Iconic Home

Constructed in 1799, Gracie Mansion has been the mayoral home for most New York City mayors from the World War II era.

But, Mamdani, for whom affordable housing is a central platform, was not quick to announce this decision right away after his triumph in November.

"My choice came down to keeping my family safe and the imperative to dedicating all of my focus on implementing the affordability agenda voters voted for," Mamdani said in a statement.

Thanking a Neighborhood

His home was in the Queens borough of Astoria, a community famous for its vibrant immigrant communities and global cuisine.

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

"Although my address will change in the neighborhood, it will forever remain inside me and my work," he affirmed.

A Contentious Issue

During his campaign, Mamdani connected his central policy – to freeze the rent – to his own housing situation.

Yet his rivals, including ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, challenged Mamdani for remaining in the apartment although he is from a famous family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Not all mayors have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the business magnate, preferred to remain in his own townhouse on the Upper East Side during his three terms, which ended in 2012.

Instead, Bloomberg felt it ought to be a space for public city functions, and pushed for an extensive renovation of the aging mansion.

A Grand New Home

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

With its cream-colored walls, green shutters, and bright white balustrades, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house overlooking the East River.

Internally, the first floor of the Federal-style mansion is decorated to reflect the home's early 19th-century origins.

The property, which reportedly has five bedrooms, also has enhanced security to secure the mayor and his family.

Supernatural Speculation

Some residents have suggested that Gracie Mansion also has ghostly inhabitants.

Chirlane McCray, the spouse of former mayor Bill De Blasio, once said that doors occasionally opened and closing inexplicably, and the floorboards creaked eerily.

Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams was even more convinced. "No matter what people claim," he declared in 2022. "The place is haunted in there, man."

Affordable Housing Lifeline

Mamdani's current apartment is rent-stabilized, a policy where the city regulates on how much landlords can increase rent each year.

Tenants see such units as essential protections as the cost of housing rises faster than the means of many residents.

Data indicated Mamdani his rent was $2,300 each month for his apartment.

Per figures from the property website Zillow, the typical monthly cost for a studio or one-bedroom in New York City is $3,500 a month.