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The city's next chief executive, Zohran Mamdani, will opt to make his home in the traditional Gracie Mansion, vacating the affordable apartment that was a central issue throughout his run for office.

A Historic Residence

Built in 1799, Gracie Mansion has served as the official residence for nearly all New York City mayors from the post-war period.

But, Mamdani, for whom housing costs is a key platform, was not quick to announce his residency plans immediately following his triumph in November.

"This decision came down to the security of my family and the need to directing all of my focus on carrying out the agenda for affordability New Yorkers supported," Mamdani said in his announcement.

Thanking a Neighborhood

He resided in the Queens borough of Astoria, a district renowned for its vibrant immigrant populations and culinary diversity.

"To Astoria: my gratitude for exemplifying the true spirit of New York City," he expressed.

"While I may no longer live in the neighborhood, it will forever remain a part of me and my efforts as mayor," he said.

Campaign Controversy

In his race for mayor, Mamdani linked his key pledge – halting rent increases – to his circumstances as a tenant.

However his opponents, most notably one-time governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for living in the apartment although he is from a prominent family.

Previous Exceptions

Not all mayors have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion.

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

Instead, Bloomberg said he believed it ought to be a venue for public city functions, and pushed for a major refurbishment of the aging mansion.

A Grand New Home

As he settles into Gracie Mansion sometime around his first day on 1 January, he will be surrounded by surroundings very different than his previous Astoria home.

With its butter yellow paint, forest green window covers, and pristine railings, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house with views of the East River.

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

The compound, which allegedly has five bedrooms, also boasts enhanced security to protect the mayor and his family.

Supernatural Speculation

Past occupants have alleged that Gracie Mansion also has ghostly inhabitants.

Chirlane McCray, the wife of ex-mayor Bill De Blasio, told reporters that they experienced doors opening and closing inexplicably, and the floors emitted odd sounds.

The departing mayor Eric Adams was adamant. "No matter what anyone says," he insisted in 2022. "It has spirits in there, man."

The Value of Rent Stabilization

Mamdani's current apartment is rent-stabilized, meaning the city imposes caps on how much landlords can raise the rent each year.

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

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

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