Housing Authority hopes to save with upgrades

MARTIN J. KIDSTON Independent Record HELENA (AP)

The Helena Housing Authority expects to save $2.4 million in utility costs over the next 15 years after it completes an energy upgrade of its 366 city housing units. The project marks the first "performance contract" with a public housing authority in Montana and will allow HHA to reduce energy and water costs and apply the savings to repay the project loan. "About two years ago we replaced 60 furnaces, and we saved $25,000 in nine months," said Josh LaFromboise, the housing authority's interim executive director. "That kind of got the wheels sp...