It was only discussed for a brief second during Tuesday’s Selma City Council meeting, but Ward 1 could soon be home to a few new townhouses.

The addition of new townhouses to Selma isn’t news in itself, but rather, representative of a larger issue that exists within the Queen City of the Black Belt.

Dozens of homes in Selma sit empty, either rotting from neglect and age or tarnished by natural events. One problem for many who move to Selma experience is a lack of available property to rent.

It’s certainly possible to buy a piece of land and custom build a house in Valley Grande or outside of any city limits, but for a majority of people, building a house is an arduous process that’s ultimately too expensive.

Perhaps the problem is demand. Recent census numbers show a slight, steady decline in Selma’s population, which means less people are looking to immigrate to the city.

Though, without adequate housing, demand is useless. In large part, Selma’s affordable, nice housing is nearly always full.

Affordable housing is certainly subjective. A person on unemployment likely can’t afford to pay $500 per month. Though, $500 per month may be a great deal for a single, middle-class person.

Affordable housing means a good mix of available properties for all income levels.

A potential for townhouses in Ward 1 is encouraging to hear, that developers are interested in building Selma.

But it’s not just Ward 1 that needs affordable, nice housing. Every ward in Selma could use a few more options for housing.

An increase in industry could change the realty landscape in Selma, but the reality remains that a need still exists, whether it’s refurbishing old houses or adding new structures, the city remains in dire need of attractive housing.