Meet the Resident Mayor
The Mayor is one of our members, elected by the community to a six-month term to help set the tone for the room. Not everyone should be Mayor, and that's the point. We're looking for someone who was going to help shape this community whether or not there was a title attached to it.
The Filter We Weren't Willing to Live With
Some of the best people for our community can't afford to be in it yet. Coworking membership at Resident isn’t cheap, and we're selective on top of that, which means the filter isn't just "are you the right fit." It's also "can you write the check." We recognize that those aren't the same thing.
The Mayor is our answer. Every six months, our members elect one of their own to hold a full coworking membership at no cost, in exchange for helping shape how the community grows. It’s not someone who is hired or appointed. It’s someone who’s chosen by the community at each location we have.
How the Mayor Gets Elected
3 steps:
- Apply. Anyone who fits the profile can put their name in.
- Vet. We invite qualified applicants to our company club for a conversation.
- Vote. Our members choose their Mayor.
The winner serves for six months. Once the term ends, we run the process again. There is an opportunity for the same Mayor to be reelected.
What the Mayor Actually Does
The Mayor isn't a community manager, which is an operational role, run and paid by Resident. The Mayor is representative; the person the community picks to speak for them.
In practice, that looks like:
- Showing up to most of our community events.
- Contributing ideas for the kinds of gatherings, programs, and rituals we should build next.
- Bringing us feedback they hear from other members, so we can act on it.
That's it. If it’s the right person, it's something that comes to them naturally.
What Mayors Get in Return
- A free coworking membership at their location for six months.
- Full access to our amenities, events, and network.
- A permanent feature on our website as the face of their community.
- Six months of building alongside some of the best founders in NYC.
The Role Looks Different at Every Location
Every Resident location has its own community identity, so the Mayor profile changes with it. Here's who we're looking for at each one.
Madison Park
Status: Open. Applications are live.
Our Flatiron room is built for AI founders, post-exit operators, VCs, and the technical builders shaping this cycle. The right Mayor for Madison Park is:
- A founder or operator, deep into AI
- A natural connector who remembers names, makes intros, and enjoys it
- Someone who has run hackathons, startup pitches, or demo days
Union Square
Status: Closed. Join the waitlist.
Union Square is our consumer and e-commerce location, home to DTC founders, brand operators, and the agencies and investors who work with them. The right Mayor for Union Square is:
- A founder or operator in consumer, DTC, retail, or brand
- Deep in the New York consumer ecosystem
- A natural connector who loves doing podcasts or being on social media
Chelsea
Status: Launching Soon.
Chelsea is our creative and tech location, built for founders working at the seam between design, media, art, and technology. The Chelsea Mayor should be:
- A founder or operator working across creative and tech
- Connected in the New York creative and tech scene
- Doesn’t shy away from big ideas