‘The neighbourhood will always live inside me’: Zohran Mamdani moves to $100 million Gracie Mansion for family’s safety

New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said he and his wife, illustrator Rama Duwaji, will move into the official mayor’s residence, Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, after he takes office on January 1. He said the move was for the family’s safety and to allow him to focus fully on the “affordability agenda” for New Yorkers.

Mamdani shared the news on Instagram, writing, “My wife Rama and I have made the decision to move into Gracie Mansion in January.” He spoke about how special their home in Astoria has been and said the neighbourhood will always live inside him and his work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He added, “This decision came down to our family's safety and the importance of dedicating all of my focus to enacting the affordability agenda New Yorkers voted for. We will miss it all — the endless Adeni chai, the spirited conversations in Spanish, Arabic and every language in between, the aromas of seafood and shawarma drifting down the block.”

Mamdani, who campaigned on affordability and housing stability, won the mayoral election last month by a wide margin. At 34, he will be the youngest New York mayor in more than 100 years.

He has faced criticism for living in a subsidised apartment. He pays $2,300 a month for his 800-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment in Astoria. Former governor Andrew Cuomo criticised him for staying in rent-controlled housing despite earning $142,000 a year. The apartment includes heat and hot water, has a communal laundry room, and the building, built in 1929, has an elevator.

Gracie Mansion, built in 1799, overlooks the East River and has been the mayor’s residence since 1942. The mansion has a veranda with river views, an entertaining room with a fireplace, sitting and dining rooms with Parisian-style wallpaper, and meals prepared by a full-time chef. It also has strong security, with cameras, a high fence, and police officers stationed outside. Most mayors choose to live there because of the safety and space.