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The city's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, will opt to make his home in the historic Gracie Mansion, leaving behind the rent-stabilised apartment that sparked debate during his election bid.

A Historic Residence

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has served as the official residence for the majority of New York City mayors from the World War II era.

But, Mamdani, for whom affordable housing is a core issue, hesitated to declare he would live there right away following his triumph in November.

"This decision rested on the security of my family and the imperative to directing my full attention on carrying out the affordability agenda the city's residents supported," the Mayor-Elect declared on Monday.

Thanking a Neighborhood

His home was in Astoria, Queens, a district renowned for its abundance of immigrant populations and international dining.

"To my neighbors in Astoria: many thanks for demonstrating the true spirit of New York City," he expressed.

"Even though I'm moving there, the community will always live inside me and the work I do," he said.

Campaign Controversy

Throughout his election campaign, Mamdani linked his core platform – to freeze the rent – to his circumstances as a tenant.

Yet his rivals, most notably former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, criticised Mamdani for living in the affordable housing although he hails from a prominent family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Some mayors have chosen to live at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the business magnate, kept his residence in his private home on Manhattan's Upper East Side for his time in office, which concluded in 2012.

Instead, Bloomberg said he believed it should be a place for official events, and advocated for an extensive renovation of the older mansion.

A Stately Residence

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

Featuring pale yellow exterior, emerald shutters, and bright white balustrades, Gracie Mansion is a picturesque home situated by the East River.

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

The estate, which is said to has five bedrooms, also has fortified protections to secure the mayor and his family.

Haunted History

Some residents have alleged 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 shutting on their own, and the floors emitted odd sounds.

Former Mayor Eric Adams was more certain. "No matter what people claim," he declared in 2022. "It has spirits in there, man."

The Value of Rent Stabilization

His former home is under rent control, which means the city sets limits on how much landlords can increase rent each year.

City residents see such units as essential protections as the price of rent exceeds what many can afford.

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

According to real estate analysts Zillow, the typical monthly cost for a studio or one-bedroom in New York City is $3,500 a month.