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NYC's incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has decided to take up residence in the iconic Gracie Mansion, leaving behind his rent-controlled apartment that sparked debate during his campaign.

A Traditional Abode

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has been the mayoral home for nearly all New York City mayors from the mid-20th century.

But, Mamdani, for whom housing costs is a key platform, hesitated to declare this decision right away after his triumph in November.

"The choice rested on our family's safety and the imperative to directing all of my focus on carrying out the agenda for affordability the city's residents elected me on," Mamdani said in his announcement.

Thanking a Neighborhood

He resided in the Queens borough of Astoria, a community famous for its abundance of immigrant communities and culinary diversity.

"To my neighbors in Astoria: many thanks for showing us the best of New York City," he noted.

"While I may no longer live in Astoria, the community will forever remain within me and my efforts as mayor," he added.

Political Debate

In his election campaign, Mamdani connected his central policy – a rent freeze – to his circumstances as a tenant.

But his opponents, including ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for living in the apartment despite the fact that he is from a prominent family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Not every mayor have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor, preferred to remain in his personal mansion on the Upper East Side throughout his tenure, which ended in 2012.

Instead, Bloomberg felt it should be a space for public city functions, and pushed for significant upgrades of the historic mansion.

A Grand New Home

Upon taking up residence at Gracie Mansion sometime around his first day on 1 January, he will be surrounded by surroundings far removed from his modest Astoria apartment.

Featuring cream-colored walls, green shutters, and white railings, Gracie Mansion is a picturesque home overlooking the East River.

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

The property, which is said to has several bedrooms, also includes fortified protections to protect the mayor and his family.

Haunted History

Past occupants have claimed that Gracie Mansion also has spiritual residents.

Chirlane McCray, the partner of previous mayor Bill De Blasio, told reporters that doors would sometimes open and shutting on their own, and the floorboards creaked eerily.

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

A Critical Policy Issue

His former home is under rent control, a policy where the city imposes caps on how much landlords can raise the rent each year.

Tenants see such units as crucial resources as the price of rent outpaces what many can afford.

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

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