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NYC's incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, will opt to make his home in the iconic Gracie Mansion, departing from the rent-stabilised apartment that was a central issue during his run for office.

A Historic Residence

Constructed in 1799, Gracie Mansion has functioned as the mayoral home for nearly all 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 following his triumph in November.

"This decision rested on keeping my family safe and the imperative to focusing my full attention on implementing the affordability agenda the city's residents elected me on," the Mayor-Elect declared in his announcement.

A Fond Farewell

Mamdani lived in the Queens borough of Astoria, a community renowned for its vibrant immigrant populations and culinary diversity.

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

"Although my address will change there, Astoria will forever remain within me and my work," he added.

A Contentious Issue

In his campaign, Mamdani connected his key pledge – a rent freeze – to his own housing situation.

Yet his rivals, mainly ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, criticised Mamdani for occupying the rent-stabilized unit even though he hails from a famous family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Not all mayors have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor, chose to live in his own townhouse on the Upper East Side during his time in office, which concluded in 2012.

In his view, Bloomberg argued it ought to be a place for civic gatherings, and pushed for a major refurbishment of the historic mansion.

A Stately Residence

As he settles into Gracie Mansion near his inauguration on 1 January, he will find himself in a setting a stark contrast to his humble Astoria digs.

Adorned in cream-colored walls, emerald shutters, and bright white balustrades, Gracie Mansion is an ornate structure situated by the East River.

Internally, the ground floor of the Federal-style mansion is furnished to reflect the home's historical period.

The property, which reportedly has five bedrooms, also includes fortified protections to safeguard the mayor and his family.

Haunted History

A number of people have claimed that Gracie Mansion also has spiritual residents.

Chirlane McCray, the spouse of former mayor Bill De Blasio, told reporters that they experienced doors opening and closed by themselves, and the floorboards made strange noises.

Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams was even more convinced. "It doesn't matter what anyone says," he insisted in 2022. "There are ghosts in there, man."

The Value of Rent Stabilization

Mamdani's current apartment is rent stabilised, which means the city imposes caps on how much building managers can raise the rent each year.

Tenants see such units as crucial resources as the price of rent outpaces the average income.

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

Based on data from the real estate platform Zillow, the median rent for a studio or one-bedroom in New York City is $3,500 a month.