Gracie Mansion by Jim.henderson via Wikimedia Commons; Zohran Mamdani by Dmitryshein via Wikimedia Commons
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Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has confirmed that he and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will move into Gracie Mansion shortly after his inauguration on January 1, marking a shift from their one-bedroom apartment in Astoria to the city’s official mayoral residence on the Upper East Side.
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Mamdani had long said that he would leave his rent-stabilized apartment once in office, and on Monday he made the plan official, sharing a statement and an Instagram post referencing the move. His Astoria home, roughly 800 square feet, has been central to his public identity, and he acknowledged the personal transition ahead. “We will miss much about our home in Astoria,” he said, noting the daily routines and close-knit feel of the building.Gracie Mansion, by contrast, is a fortified 226-year-old estate overlooking the East River. Most mayors choose to live there because of its extensive security infrastructure. Mamdani said the decision ultimately came down to safety and the need to fully focus on governing.
While the historic home’s ground floor cannot be redecorated, Mamdani and Duwaji will have freedom to design the private quarters upstairs. The couple will also inherit some of the quirks of life at Gracie — from its formal ballroom and manicured lawn to its reputation for being quiet and at times isolating.
The Upper East Side will represent a new environment for Mamdani, who has emphasized his connection to Astoria throughout his political career. Still, several precincts near Gracie Mansion supported him in November, particularly in Yorkville, where modest rentals sit alongside luxury co-ops.
Even as he prepares for the move, Mamdani signaled that he expects to return to Queens often, though doing so will now involve a security escort and a trip up the FDR Drive. For now, he is focusing on the transition ahead.
““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 said.
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