New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has announced that he and his wife are ready to move to the mayor's residence in Manhattan after he assumes office in January. Mamdani said the decision was made considering the family's safety and in order to fully focus on the "affordability agenda" for New Yorkers.
Mamdani, who won last month's election by a wide margin, confirmed he will live at Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side.
In a social media post, Mamdani said he and his wife, illustrator Rama Duwaji, made the choice for security reasons and after careful thought. He emphasised that they were reluctant to leave their home in Astoria, a neighbourhood known for its immigrant communities.
"We have called this neighborhood home as our city weathered a devastating pandemic, cruel attacks on immigrants, and years of an affordability crisis. Time and again, this community has shown up for one another. We will miss it all," the statement said.
"We will miss much about our home in Astoria. Cooking dinner side by side in our kitchen, sharing a sleepy elevator ride with our neighbours in the evening, hearing music and laughter vibrate through the walls of the apartment," Mamdani added.
Mamdani, who prominently featured the issue of affordability in his election campaign, has sparked discussion with his decision to move into this $100 million mansion.
Gracie Mansion is located in the city’s posh Upper East Side. Spanning over 10,000 square feet along the East River, the house was built in 1799. This mansion has been the residence of the Mayor of New York since 1942. However, according to the rules, it is not mandatory for the mayor to live there.
Earlier, Mamdani faced criticism for living in subsidized housing from the beginning. He was paying $2,300 in rent per month for this house, which is considered low by city standards. Opponents argued that considering his salary as a New York State Assembly member and his wife’s income, he could have managed without the rent subsidy.