New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced that his wife and he are ready to move to the mayor's residence in Manhattan after he takes office in January. He said the decision was made keeping in mind the family's safety and in order to fully focus on the "affordability agenda" for New Yorkers.
Mamdani put out the relocation statement on social media. He wrote, "My wife Rama and I have made the decision to move into Gracie Mansion in January." The mayor-elect wrote about how special their home in Astoria is and how the neighbourhood will "always live inside" him and his work.
"This decision came down to our family's safety and the importance of dedicating all of my focus on enacting the affordability agenda New Yorkers voted for," he wrote, adding, "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 for affordability and housing stability, won the mayoral election last month by a wide margin. He will be the youngest New York mayor in over 100 years.
The 34-year-old democratic socialist received a lot of backlash for living in a subsidised house. He currently pays about $2,300 or Rs 2,00,000 for his one-bedroom apartment in Astoria. Former governor Andrew Cuomo criticised him for living in a subsidised, rent-stabilised flat despite earning $142,000, or approximately Rs 1,27,60,000 a year.
Mamdani's current 800-square-foot apartment boasts of heat and hot water included in the rent – a requirement by the New York City law – and although there is no washer or dryer in the apartment, there is a communal laundry room in the building. Constructed in 1929, his building also has an elevator, which is a rarity in Astoria.
On the other hand, Gracie Mansion offers views of the East River from its veranda. There is an entertaining room with a grand fireplace and a sitting and dining room with wallpaper depicting Parisian gardens where mayors can eat meals prepared by a full-time Gracie chef.
Astoria is an affordable neighbourhood with young people and families settling in, whereas the Upper East Side is home to some of the world's most famous museums and bars.
On the safety front, Gracie's has a high fence, with cameras and police officers stationed outside.
According to the New York Times, it's the heavy security and gathering space that makes almost all mayors choose the Gracie Mansion ultimately.
