City Council Races 2017: Change is Coming to the South Bronx

WNYC is taking a closer look at some of the most contested City Council races in partnership with City Limits and Gotham Gazette.

District 8 includes parts of the South Bronx, where luxury development is slowly taking over the waterfront, and East Harlem, where residents have been pushing back against the mayor's plan to rezone. It's currently represented by outgoing City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. 

The race is pitting establishment Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez against Diana Ayala, an aide to Mark-Viverito who's never held elected office.

Ben Max, executive editor of Gotham Gazette, spoke to WNYC's Kerry Nolan about Ayala's chances, changes in the South Bronx and the East Harlem rezoning plan's fate. 

Check out other contested City Council races here!