Bidets and cats: Zohran Mamdani reveals his plans for Gracie Mansion as he moves in with wife Rama Duwaji

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji have officially moved into the Gracie Mansion, the official mayor's residence in Manhattan. The 34-year-old mayor held a press conference at the mansion on January 12, 2026 addressing the media about the move and his plans for the historical 11,000 square foot home on the Upper East Side. “Today is moving day. Tonight will be the first night that I sleep in Gracie. … We are so grateful to all of those who have already welcomed us to the Upper East Side, and I’m delighted to be back in the borough where I grew up, within walking distance of many of the museums that I went to as a teenager in this city,” Mamdani told the reporters during the conference. However, he was quick to emphasise that the 18th-century mansion is not meant to feel like a private estate, repeatedly framing it as “the people’s house,” and sharing some of his plans for it. “Gracie has lived many lives,” he said. “And that legacy is not one that should be relegated to the past.” Mamdani claimed he wanted to keep the mansion accessible and welcoming to New Yorkers who didn't get invited inside typically, promising to keep the space open beyond ceremonial events and formal receptions. When asked what he plans to alter inside the mansion, he said decisions were still forthcoming but there were a few domestic priorities. One of them was installing bidets, plumbing fixtures that help people clean themselves after using the bathroom. “One thing that we will change is we will be installing a few bidets into Gracie Mansion,” he said. “That’s an aspirational hope. We’ll see if we can actually get it done.”Additionally, the mayor revisited his desire to get a cat. He noted that due to his feline allergies, the same wasn't possible before but he is currently undergoing allergy shots to make that possible. “I am currently getting my allergy shots so that I can fight off my allergy to cats,” he said. “That’s the hope.”However, Mamdani was insistent on addressing that despite his address, his day-to-day habits would remain intact. He said he still plans to take the subway, ride buses, use Citi Bike and spend time "in the streets" with New Yorkers, rather than retreat behind the gates of the mansion. “I may be changing where I rest my head at the end of every evening,” he said, “but I will not be changing anything about how I interact with the incredible New Yorkers who call this city home.”For one, the house is rumoured to be haunted. However, Mamdani said he hasn't met the ghosts yet. “I haven’t yet met the ghost or heard from the ghost,” he quipped.Apart from that, he and his illustrator wife Rama Duwaji are now privy to five bedrooms on the upper floor of the house that they can redecorate as they please. Downstairs, there is a formal ballroom and dining room along with an in-house chef. The 227-year-old mansion is surrounded by a sprawling lawn with views of the East River and a veranda too.Before their move, Mamdani and his wife lived in Astoria, which is separated from Gracie only by a bend of the East River. The couple who tied the knot in 2025, lived in a rent-stabilised apartment since 2019 while paying $2,300 a month. Considering his campaigning on affordable housing in NYC, moving into a mansion was actually prompted by a desire for security. “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,” said the mayor in a statement last month.