The Selma City Council is looking into having a homeless shelter by November.

Evans also said that the council is looking for a group or organization that could spearhead efforts to create a shelter before next winter’s cold weather settles in.

At first, Evans said, the shelter would be open from November to March.

Its purpose would be to provide a hot meal during the winter.

However, he added, a shelter could eventually become a year round location to aid the homeless.

As of right now, though, nothing’s set in stone.

A location for the shelter is needed, as is funding for the project, but since opening a facility wouldn’t occur until November, Evans said, there is still plenty of time.

Councilwoman Rita Sims Franklin said that she’s seen over 20 homeless people around the Edmund Pettus Bridge area, and sometimes seen them walking through town.

She added tahat all homeless people need a place to stay, and that if a city had even 10 homeless then that community would need a shelter.

Both council members, though, said that no study had been done to determine the number of homeless in Selma.

Evans said that currently there is no process moving the initiative to create a shelter except appeals to the public and prayer.

However, Evans added that council members Bennie Ruth Crenshaw and Nancy Sewell had mentioned some organizations that might be interested in helping, though none had committed yet.

At the council meeting, Evans made another appeal to those sitting on the council with him: we need to move forward.