ADA, Okla. (KTEN) — Ada needs more places for people to live.

The city of Ada and Freese and Nichols have started their housing assessment. It's a year-long study that Ada is paying $217,000 dollars to the consulting firm for developing a plan to address Ada's need for improved housing.

Public meetings on Wednesday at the Arts and Heritage Center featured taxpayers from four quadrants of the city expressing their concerns.

"The issue about bringing better-paying jobs to Ada so that if the type of housing we might get, people would be able to afford that housing," said resident Quentin Jones.

"A lot of the properties here are owned by people outside of Ada," resident Anthony Bradley added. "You have a lot of properties where the houses are dilapidated. They're not being taken care of. They should've been torn down years ago. You have a lot of properties where grass is overgrown."

Some of those issues are related to city codes that need updating.

The next steps for Freese and Nichols include launching websites to provide surveys to people who call Ada home for constant feedback.

During the 12 month study, there may be steps taken to gradually implement findings.

"If we are looking at improving process for obtaining permits or for getting some type of approval through the city, then we can look at adjusting codes, taking that through the city council and asking them to consider making changes to those processes or regulations," Dawn Warrick said, an urban planner for Freese and Nichols.

More meetings for the study will occur monthly, including a presentation of a housing strategy in September.