City Commissioners unanimously approved two Community Development Block Grant funding agreements during their April 2 meeting.

The first was $60,000 to the Great Falls Housing Authority for the purchase of 24 Amana furnaces to be installed in low-income housing units.

Current furnaces in housing authority units are at the end of their life cycle and are beginning to emit increased carbon dioxide levels, according to city staff.

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The new furnaces will address those emissions and increase efficiency and effectiveness, according to staff.

Commissioners also approved $65,882 of CDBG-CV funding, which is federal funding specific to pandemic related needs, to the YCWA Great Falls to provide one-on-one counseling to 75 low- to moderate-income individuals.

The YWCA submitted the request is a continuation of a project previously funded in 2022 through the city’s CDBG-CV allocation.

The counseling sessions will be tailored to deal with trauma caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to staff.

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The sessions will address the increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression associated with the pandemic as state and national statistics have indicated significant increases in screenings and behavioral health treatments related to COVID, according to city staff.

Tom Hazen, city grants manager, said that YWCA is within the local referral network for these services.