Kelowna – 3199 Appaloosa Road (Balsam Place)

Collage of colorful tiny houses, a furnished interior, and a dining area with checkered tablecloths and flowers.

Caption: Left – exterior of single-room unit, Top right – interior view of a single room unit, Bottom right – shared dining area for residents

BC Housing is building 60 temporary homes with supports at 3199 Appaloosa Road in Kelowna. This project, named Balsam Place, is a response to the urgent and ongoing need to provide housing for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Kelowna.

This project is funded through the Province’s Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) program. The City of Kelowna has provided the land for this project. It is anchored by a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Province and the City of Kelowna.

BC Housing and the City have already successfully opened two other HEARTH-funded projects in 2024. The first project was STEP Place, followed by Trailside Housing. The project at Appaloosa Road will complete our shared commitment with the City of Kelowna to build and open three urgently needed temporary housing projects in the community.

Development

We currently expect construction to finish in early June 2025. Connective will begin welcoming the first residents in July 2025.

Neighbour tour

We invite you to tour Balsam Place on June 19, 2025 before Connective begins welcoming residents into their new homes.

  • Date: June 19, 2025
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Location: Balsam Place, 3199 Appaloosa Road, Kelowna
  • RSVP: Balsam-Place-neighbour-tour.eventbrite.ca
    • Please register in advance for the neighbour tour.
  • Details: Drop in any time between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to receive a tour of the new temporary housing. Team members from Connective, BC Housing and the City of Kelowna will be present to provide information and answer questions.

About the project

Balsam Place will provide 60 homes with support services for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Kelowna. This site hosts 60 single-room units, each with a bed, desk, mini fridge, air conditioning, heat and storage. Residents will have access to shared washrooms and laundry onsite, as well as common dining, amenity and meeting spaces.

The temporary housing is designed to minimize impact on neighbours. There are also several security features for the benefit of the residents and the surrounding community. These include:

  • 24/7 staff onsite
  • Fully fenced perimeter
  • Gated access
  • Security cameras
  • Lighting

Operator and residents

BC Housing has selected Connective through a fair and open process to operate Balsam Place and provide services to residents. These supports and services would include:

  • 24/7 staff onsite
  • Daily meals
  • Life and employment skills training
  • Access to health services
  • Support securing permanent housing

Connective is a non-profit social services organization with 90 years of experience supporting people across B.C. Connective offers a range of holistic programs including housing, employment, outreach, justice and community services, with the goal of creating safe, healthy and inclusive communities for all.

Connective operates several other HEARTH programs across B.C. Their housing programs are person-centered, meaning they tailor their services to the specific needs and goals of each resident, and help them connect with supports and resources they need to thrive.

Over the years, Connective has developed extensive experience supporting people to secure housing and know how important strong community relationships are to the success of their programs and their participants. They look forward to working closely with the community.

BC Housing and Connective will assess potential residents and offer the temporary housing to people based on their individual needs and supports available. This process will help ensure residents are set up for success and more likely to remain housed.

Community engagement

A caring community can contribute greatly to the success and well-being of temporary housing residents. BC Housing, the City of Kelowna and Connective will keep lines of communication open and address any questions and concerns quickly and collaboratively.

On August 26, 2024, we mailed a letter to neighbours and nearby businesses to introduce this project, provide contact information for questions and for neighbours to share if they were interested in future information sessions.

On December 17, 2025, Dynamic Energy Consultants emailed neighbours who expressed interest in future information sessions with opportunities to meet.

On February 10, 2025, BC Housing mailed a letter to neighbours and nearby businesses to share a development update and introduce Connective as the operator of the temporary homes.

(Note: This letter stated that Connective would operate a “shelter” rather than temporary housing. We’d like to clarify that this project is temporary transitional housing, not a shelter. We apologize for any confusion that this may have caused.)

On April 3, 2025, BC Housing mailed an invitation to neighbours and nearby businesses to attend an open house where participants could get the latest project information, meet the project team, and ask questions. We also emailed this invitation to select neighbours who had previously expressed interest.

On April 9, 2025, BC Housing, Connective and the City of Kelowna welcomed neighbours to an in-person open house to view the latest project information, meet project representatives, and ask questions one-on-one. View the poster boards from this event. We thank all participants for their time and thoughtful discussion.

On June 5, 2025, Connective hand-delivered a letter to direct site neighbours including an invitation to tour Balsam Place on June 19, 2025, ahead of residents moving in. This letter also included a Who to Call | When to Call information sheet with a direct phone number for the temporary housing as well as other key contacts. We also emailed this invitation to select neighbours who had previously expressed interest.

Questions?

BC Housing, Connective and the City of Kelowna will keep lines of communication open and address any questions and concerns quickly and collaboratively.

Please see the Who to Call | When to Call sheet in the sidebar for a direct phone number for the temporary housing as well as other key contacts.

For questions about temporary housing programs in BC, please email BC Housing at communityrelations@bchousing.org.

For questions about the Balsam Place temporary housing at 3199 Appaloosa Road, please email Connective at balsamplaceprogram@connective.ca.

For ongoing updates on City of Kelowna Housing and Social Development projects please visit kelowna.ca/subscribe.

Caption: Left – exterior of single-room unit, Top right – interior view of a single room unit, Bottom right – shared dining area for residents

BC Housing is building 60 temporary homes with supports at 3199 Appaloosa Road in Kelowna. This project, named Balsam Place, is a response to the urgent and ongoing need to provide housing for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Kelowna.

This project is funded through the Province’s Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) program. The City of Kelowna has provided the land for this project. It is anchored by a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Province and the City of Kelowna.

BC Housing and the City have already successfully opened two other HEARTH-funded projects in 2024. The first project was STEP Place, followed by Trailside Housing. The project at Appaloosa Road will complete our shared commitment with the City of Kelowna to build and open three urgently needed temporary housing projects in the community.

Development

We currently expect construction to finish in early June 2025. Connective will begin welcoming the first residents in July 2025.

Neighbour tour

We invite you to tour Balsam Place on June 19, 2025 before Connective begins welcoming residents into their new homes.

  • Date: June 19, 2025
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Location: Balsam Place, 3199 Appaloosa Road, Kelowna
  • RSVP: Balsam-Place-neighbour-tour.eventbrite.ca
    • Please register in advance for the neighbour tour.
  • Details: Drop in any time between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to receive a tour of the new temporary housing. Team members from Connective, BC Housing and the City of Kelowna will be present to provide information and answer questions.

About the project

Balsam Place will provide 60 homes with support services for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Kelowna. This site hosts 60 single-room units, each with a bed, desk, mini fridge, air conditioning, heat and storage. Residents will have access to shared washrooms and laundry onsite, as well as common dining, amenity and meeting spaces.

The temporary housing is designed to minimize impact on neighbours. There are also several security features for the benefit of the residents and the surrounding community. These include:

  • 24/7 staff onsite
  • Fully fenced perimeter
  • Gated access
  • Security cameras
  • Lighting

Operator and residents

BC Housing has selected Connective through a fair and open process to operate Balsam Place and provide services to residents. These supports and services would include:

  • 24/7 staff onsite
  • Daily meals
  • Life and employment skills training
  • Access to health services
  • Support securing permanent housing

Connective is a non-profit social services organization with 90 years of experience supporting people across B.C. Connective offers a range of holistic programs including housing, employment, outreach, justice and community services, with the goal of creating safe, healthy and inclusive communities for all.

Connective operates several other HEARTH programs across B.C. Their housing programs are person-centered, meaning they tailor their services to the specific needs and goals of each resident, and help them connect with supports and resources they need to thrive.

Over the years, Connective has developed extensive experience supporting people to secure housing and know how important strong community relationships are to the success of their programs and their participants. They look forward to working closely with the community.

BC Housing and Connective will assess potential residents and offer the temporary housing to people based on their individual needs and supports available. This process will help ensure residents are set up for success and more likely to remain housed.

Community engagement

A caring community can contribute greatly to the success and well-being of temporary housing residents. BC Housing, the City of Kelowna and Connective will keep lines of communication open and address any questions and concerns quickly and collaboratively.

On August 26, 2024, we mailed a letter to neighbours and nearby businesses to introduce this project, provide contact information for questions and for neighbours to share if they were interested in future information sessions.

On December 17, 2025, Dynamic Energy Consultants emailed neighbours who expressed interest in future information sessions with opportunities to meet.

On February 10, 2025, BC Housing mailed a letter to neighbours and nearby businesses to share a development update and introduce Connective as the operator of the temporary homes.

(Note: This letter stated that Connective would operate a “shelter” rather than temporary housing. We’d like to clarify that this project is temporary transitional housing, not a shelter. We apologize for any confusion that this may have caused.)

On April 3, 2025, BC Housing mailed an invitation to neighbours and nearby businesses to attend an open house where participants could get the latest project information, meet the project team, and ask questions. We also emailed this invitation to select neighbours who had previously expressed interest.

On April 9, 2025, BC Housing, Connective and the City of Kelowna welcomed neighbours to an in-person open house to view the latest project information, meet project representatives, and ask questions one-on-one. View the poster boards from this event. We thank all participants for their time and thoughtful discussion.

On June 5, 2025, Connective hand-delivered a letter to direct site neighbours including an invitation to tour Balsam Place on June 19, 2025, ahead of residents moving in. This letter also included a Who to Call | When to Call information sheet with a direct phone number for the temporary housing as well as other key contacts. We also emailed this invitation to select neighbours who had previously expressed interest.

Questions?

BC Housing, Connective and the City of Kelowna will keep lines of communication open and address any questions and concerns quickly and collaboratively.

Please see the Who to Call | When to Call sheet in the sidebar for a direct phone number for the temporary housing as well as other key contacts.

For questions about temporary housing programs in BC, please email BC Housing at communityrelations@bchousing.org.

For questions about the Balsam Place temporary housing at 3199 Appaloosa Road, please email Connective at balsamplaceprogram@connective.ca.

For ongoing updates on City of Kelowna Housing and Social Development projects please visit kelowna.ca/subscribe.

Page last updated: 18 Jun 2025, 10:37 AM