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The city's Mayor-Elect, Zohran Mamdani, has decided to take up residence in the traditional Gracie Mansion, vacating the rent-stabilised apartment that was a central issue in his election bid.

A Historic Residence

Dating back to 1799, Gracie Mansion has functioned as the mayoral home for the majority of New York City mayors after the World War II era.

But, Mamdani, for whom rent control is a core policy, did not confirm he would live there right away after his victory in November.

"My choice came down to keeping my family safe and the imperative to dedicating all of my focus on enacting the platform on affordability the city's residents supported," stated Mamdani in a statement.

Thanking a Neighborhood

Mamdani lived in the Astoria neighbourhood, a district famous for its diverse cultural enclaves and culinary diversity.

"To Astoria: my gratitude for demonstrating the best of New York City," he expressed.

"Even though I'm moving in Astoria, Astoria will forever remain a part of me and my work," he affirmed.

Campaign Controversy

In his election campaign, Mamdani connected his key pledge – to freeze the rent – to his circumstances as a tenant.

However his opponents, mainly former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, criticised Mamdani for living in the apartment despite the fact that he is from a well-known family.

Not All Mayors Stayed

Not all mayors have decided to stay at Gracie Mansion.

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire entrepreneur, preferred to remain in his own townhouse on the Upper East Side during his time in office, which wrapped up in 2012.

Instead, Bloomberg felt it could serve as a space for civic gatherings, and championed a major refurbishment of the older 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 previous Astoria apartment.

Featuring butter yellow paint, emerald shutters, and pristine railings, Gracie Mansion is a wedding cake of a house with views of the East River.

Internally, the first floor of the historically styled mansion is decorated to reflect the home's historical period.

The compound, which is said to has five bedrooms, also boasts increased security measures to protect the mayor and his family.

Supernatural Speculation

Some residents have alleged that Gracie Mansion also has spiritual residents.

Chirlane McCray, the partner of former mayor Bill De Blasio, informed the press that doors would sometimes open and closed by themselves, and the floorboards made strange noises.

The departing mayor Eric Adams was adamant. "It doesn't matter the skeptics say," he stated in 2022. "It has spirits in there, man."

Affordable Housing Lifeline

The apartment he is leaving is under rent control, meaning the city sets limits on how much building managers can increase rent each year.

Tenants see such units as valuable lifelines as the cost of housing outpaces what many can afford.

Records showed Mamdani paid about $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.