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The city's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, has confirmed to take up residence in the iconic Gracie Mansion, vacating his rent-controlled apartment that became a focal point throughout his election bid.

An Iconic Home

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has been the primary dwelling for most New York City mayors since the post-war period.

Yet, Mamdani, for whom rent control is a central policy, did not confirm his residency plans right away following his electoral win in November.

"My choice came down to keeping my family safe and the need to directing all of my focus on enacting the platform on affordability voters elected me on," stated Mamdani in a statement.

A Fond Farewell

He resided in the Astoria neighbourhood, an area renowned for its abundance of immigrant communities and culinary diversity.

"To the people of Astoria: my gratitude for exemplifying the best of New York City," he noted.

"Although my address will change in the neighborhood, the community will continue to reside within me and my work," he added.

Campaign Controversy

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani linked his central policy – to freeze the rent – to his circumstances as a tenant.

But his rivals, including ex-governor Andrew Cuomo, attacked Mamdani for living in the rent-stabilized unit although he came from a well-known family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Not every mayor have opted to reside at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor, kept his residence in his personal mansion on the Upper East Side during his three terms, which wrapped up in 2012.

In his view, Bloomberg felt it could serve as a space for public city functions, and championed significant upgrades of the older mansion.

A Vastly Different Setting

When Mamdani moves into Gracie Mansion near his swearing-in on 1 January, he will find himself in a setting very different than his previous Astoria home.

Featuring pale yellow exterior, emerald shutters, and white railings, Gracie Mansion is an ornate structure with views of the East River.

Inside, the ground floor of the Federal-style mansion is decorated to reflect the home's original era.

The compound, which is said to has several bedrooms, also boasts 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 spouse of ex-mayor Bill De Blasio, told reporters that doors occasionally opened and closed by themselves, and the floorboards creaked eerily.

The departing mayor Eric Adams was more certain. "I don't care the skeptics say," he stated in 2022. "The place is haunted in there, man."

A Critical Policy Issue

The apartment he is leaving is rent-stabilized, which means the city sets limits on how much building managers can increase rent each year.

City residents view rent-stabilized housing as valuable lifelines as the price of rent rises faster than the means of many residents.

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

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