New York City's Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has officially begun a new chapter, trading a modest and problematic apartment in Queens for the grandeur of the city's official mayoral residence. The 34-year-old democratic socialist and his wife, Rama Duwaji, started moving into the historic Gracie Mansion on Monday, 13 January 2026.
From Humble Beginnings to Historic Home
The move marks a stark change in living standards for the mayor. He leaves behind a $2,300-per-month one-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens, which lacked a washer and dryer and suffered from flooding due to a burst pipe. In its place, he now occupies the stately, custard-coloured 18th-century mansion overlooking the East River.
Gracie Mansion, designated as the official mayoral residence in 1942, offers 11,000 square feet of space, a private chef, an ornate ballroom, and a veranda. It also contains unique historical features, including the original fireplace where Alexander Hamilton died after his duel with Aaron Burr, and is rumoured to be home to at least one ghost, according to former mayor Eric Adams.
A Move at Odds with Socialist Principles?
During a press conference on his new riverfront lawn, Mamdani acknowledged the potential contradiction between his luxurious new home and his pledge to lead a government that "looks and lives like the people it represents." He explained that the decision was partly driven by new security requirements that come with his office.
The mayor, who grew up in a Columbia University-subsidised apartment on the other side of Central Park, expressed a desire to make the mansion more accessible. He plans on "opening it up to New Yorkers who are not often the ones who get to visit such a place as this." His only stated cosmetic aspiration is a practical one: the hopeful installation of bidets in the bathrooms.
Cultural Shift from Astoria to the Upper East Side
The relocation represents a significant geographical and cultural shift. Mamdani's former neighbourhood, the diverse and affordable Astoria—sometimes called "the People's Republic of Astoria" for its left-wing political leanings—was a place he said he would miss for its multicultural vibrancy.
In a farewell statement, he reminisced about the "endless Adeni chai, the spirited conversations in Spanish, Arabic and every language in between." His new neighbourhood on the Upper East Side is among the city's wealthiest and is nearly three-quarters white, a district where his opponent, Andrew Cuomo, won by double digits.
Longtime resident Zoe Cuddy, a neuropsychologist walking her cockapoo nearby, expressed hope that the mayor would come to appreciate the area's quiet, suburban-like charms and predicted her neighbours would embrace him. "I think we’ll grow to be happy to have him here," she said.
