Richmond mayoral candidates sound off on hot topics during special forum

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — 8News is your local election headquarters, and the Commonwealth is fast approaching the 60-day mark for Richmond mayoral election.

On Thursday, Aug. 29 at a special mayoral forum, all five candidates vying to run the city sounded off on a few hot button topics.

All five candidates — Maurice Neblett, Andreas Addison, Harrison Roday, Michelle Mosby and Danny Avula — took to the stage at the Second Baptist Church Southside to answer previously submitted questions on topics that currently plague many parts of the city.

RISC, or Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities, the non-profit organization responsible for hosting the latest forum says they are curious to know what type of leaders these five candidates plan to be should they be elected to office.

The mayoral forum at second Baptist church southside started at 6:30 p.m., and was not an open forum, so candidates did not answer questions from the audience.

Instead, the organizers with RISC kept the topics limited to affordable housing and gun violence.

Candidate and former city councilwoman Michelle Mosby said, “There were four years of showing that we can work to ensure that gun violence and the other things are all intertwined in housing issues that someone has been able to do the work in four years.”

More than a hundred Richmond residents attended the forum on Thursday night to hear from the potential leaders.

”We’re making sure those parents have access to good transit. That’s fair and free because I fought for it,” said candidate Andreas Addison, first district councilman.

Community activist Maurice Neblett says his campaign is rooted in transparency.

“We want to make sure we have community formation. We want to make sure that we have a seat at the table for each and every one of us. and ensure that we have networked and team building relationships,” Neblett said.

Harrison Roday, a Richmond businessperson and non-profit leader shared his thoughts on the housing crisis.

“We have folks when it rains who are living under bridges for the next four years in my administration. We’re not going to talk about doing these things. We will invest $100 million in the next four years in housing,” Roday said.

Doctor Danny Avula is Virginia’s Department of Social Services commissioner and says he is devoted to those underserved in his community.

“I want to make sure that our city leadership has the most vulnerable residents of our community in mind. That city grows and develops. That would be our centering. It would be on the marginalized,” Avula said.

Richmond mayor Levar Stoney, under city rules, cannot run for a third consecutive term. He is currently running for the Lieutenant Governor’s seat. The Richmond Mayoral election is Nov. 5.

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