NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani vacates rent-stabilized apartment
New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced Monday that he will vacate his modest, rent-stabilized apartment in the borough of Queens to move into the luxurious official residence in Manhattan reserved for the chief executive of the city.
The Democrat, who assumes office on January 1, will relocate later that month to Gracie Mansion. This historic residence, a Federalist-style house built in 1799, spans over 10,000 square feet and is situated in the chic Upper East Side neighborhood, nestled in a green park on the banks of the East River. It has been the official mayoral residence since 1942.
While Mayors are not required to live there, most have chosen to do so, with the notable exception of Michael Bloomberg (2002-2013).
In a statement, Mamdani and his wife, illustrator Rama Duwaji, explained the decision was made primarily for "security" reasons. He expressed regret at leaving the two-bedroom apartment they currently inhabit in Astoria, a diverse section of western Queens known for its large immigrant population.
"We will miss many things about our apartment in Astoria," he wrote. "Preparing dinner side-by-side in the kitchen, sharing a quiet evening elevator ride with our neighbors, hearing music and laughter echoing through the apartment walls."
Mamdani centered his campaign on the cost of living crisis in New York, notably promising more affordable housing options.
His own occupancy of a rent-regulated apartment, at a cost of $2,300 per month, had previously drawn criticism from political opponents. They argued that his salary as a member of the New York State Assembly and his wife's income would allow them to afford a more expensive market-rate dwelling. Critics also questioned whether his $142,000 annual salary as a legislator made him eligible to occupy a rent-stabilized unit.
Mamdani concluded, promising: "Even when I no longer live in Astoria, Astoria will continue to live in me and in the work I do."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
