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NYC's next chief executive, Zohran Mamdani, has decided to make his home in the iconic Gracie Mansion, vacating the affordable apartment that was a central issue throughout his campaign.

A Historic Residence

Built in 1799, Gracie Mansion has been the primary dwelling for nearly all New York City mayors from the World War II era.

However, Mamdani, for whom housing costs is a central platform, hesitated to declare this decision promptly following his victory in November.

"The choice was based on keeping my family safe and the need to dedicating my complete efforts on enacting the platform on affordability voters voted for," Mamdani said in a statement.

A Fond Farewell

Mamdani lived in the Astoria neighbourhood, a community famous for its diverse immigrant populations and culinary diversity.

"To the people of Astoria: my gratitude for showing us the true spirit of New York City," Mamdani's statement said.

"Even though I'm moving there, the community will forever remain inside me and my work," he added.

A Contentious Issue

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani tied his key pledge – a rent freeze – to his circumstances as a tenant.

But his critics, most notably former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for remaining in the apartment although he came from a famous family.

Previous Exceptions

Some mayors have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire entrepreneur, kept his residence in his personal mansion on the Upper East Side for his tenure, which ended in 2012.

Instead, Bloomberg felt it could serve as a place for official events, and pushed for a major refurbishment of the historic mansion.

A Grand New Home

Upon taking up residence at Gracie Mansion for his swearing-in on 1 January, he will be surrounded by a setting very different than his modest Astoria digs.

Adorned in butter yellow paint, green shutters, and bright white balustrades, Gracie Mansion is a picturesque home situated by the East River.

Within, the lower floor of the historically styled mansion is furnished in the spirit of the home's historical period.

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

Supernatural Speculation

A number of people have suggested that Gracie Mansion also has supernatural lodgers.

Chirlane McCray, the wife of previous mayor Bill De Blasio, once said that doors would sometimes open and closing inexplicably, and the floorboards made strange noises.

Former Mayor Eric Adams was adamant. "No matter what anyone says," he declared in 2022. "The place is haunted in there, man."

The Value of Rent Stabilization

Mamdani's current apartment is rent-stabilized, which means the city sets limits on how much property owners can raise the rent each year.

Tenants view rent-stabilized housing as valuable lifelines as the price of rent outpaces what many can afford.

Records showed Mamdani was paying approximately $2,300 each month for his apartment.

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