Five possible candidates for Spring Valley mayor participated in a forum and answered questions from residents on Thursday at the Louis Kutz Civic Center.

“We’re about to have a very important election this year," says Vivian Street, vice chair of the Spring Valley NAACP.

Current Mayor Alan Simon will not be running for re-election.

Five potential candidates were at the forum: Darnett Davis, Reginald Anderson, Chrispin Eugene, Schenley Vital and Demeza Delhomme.

Spring Valley residents told News 12 that they thought it was vital to be at this forum. "If we’re not here and if we’re not educated, we can’t be a part of change," says Anna Kobelka, with Helping Hands for the Homeless of Rockland.

Residents asked the potential candidates questions about multiple issues, including affordable housing and their top priorities if elected.

"What we’re seeing here is a lot of overdevelopment, we’re in inundated with some the migrant community and there’s a lot of housing issues, food insecurity," says Street.

At Helping Hands for the Homeless of Rockland, a priority is keeping a good relationship with village officials.

“I want to make sure that the message is the same, that the population here is underserved who needs to continue to work in a collaborative manner," says Kobelka. The primary election will be on June 25.