New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, a Syrian illustrator and animator, have taken up residence at Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Mamdani announced the move in an Instagram post on Jan 12, sharing photographs that marked the beginning of what he described as a new chapter in their lives.

“Rama and I feel lucky to be starting a new chapter the way so many New Yorkers have, by moving to a new part of the city,” he wrote. “We’re grateful for the welcome to the Upper East Side and humbled to be tenants of Gracie Mansion, a home that belongs to the people.”

The couple relocated from a modest one-bedroom apartment in Queens to the historic 11,000sqft residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The photos posted by the mayor show the pair walking hand in hand toward the mansion, along with scenes from their move — labelled boxes from their former apartment, images of produce from their kitchen garden, and movers carrying belongings into the house.

Other images capture Mamdani speaking to reporters outside Gracie Mansion and the couple opening the doors to their new home.

Speaking to the media, the mayor said he and Duwaji were “humbled to be the latest tenants of the people’s house,” according to the Hindustan Times.

Gracie Mansion has served as the official residence of New York City’s mayors for decades. The property includes five bedrooms on the upper floor, a veranda overlooking the East River, expansive lawns, and formal dining and ballroom spaces on the ground level. The residence also comes with an in-house chef.

According to The New York Times, Mamdani said the couple plans to redecorate the upstairs living quarters and hopes to eventually install bidets. He also expressed pleasure at returning to Manhattan, the borough where he grew up.