The opening of a temporary housing site for people experiencing homelessness on Appaloosa Road is still not sitting well with neighbours and other residents who live near similar facilities.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon joined Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas and other dignitaries for the opening of 60 tiny homes at Balsam Place at 3199 Appaloosa Rd. on Friday (June 6).
“It is about people,” the mayor noted in his remarks. “It is about families reunited, it is about second chances made possible, and a healthier, safer community for everyone.”
The mayor added that homelessness, mental health, addictions, and community safety are complex, interconnected challenges, and no single government working on its own can solve these issues.
“It takes collaboration, strong partnerships, vision, and a will to do things differently—and above all, bold action,” he said.
Minister Kahlon acknowledged that many people are finding it a challenge to access housing, and that those in the lower income brackets are being pushed further down.
“In no way do I ever want to discount concerns that individuals have in their neighbourhoods,” Kahlon said. “I understand people want to live in healthy, safe communities, and I know that some of those same individuals want the best for some of the vulnerable people. But we have to find a way to work that out, and we're continuously trying to improve.”
Outside the fenced-off complex, about half a dozen residents listened to what the mayor and Kahlon had to say.
“My kids don't want to walk the street,” said Mike Johnson, who lives just up the road from the complex. “Six months ago, we were in a shoe store and they were attacked by a homeless man—in a shoe store. Luckily, I was there to stand up for them.”
Johnson said the neighbourhood didn’t have much warning when construction began on the facility last year. He said there was initially little response from city and provincial officials regarding residents’ concerns.
“When we approached them, they just blanked us all and avoided it until Dyas and the facility downtown (temporary housing site on Crowley Avenue) gave us an invite to come and sit down,” Johnson said. “I don't want a tour—I just want answers. Our community wants answers.”
Leanne Nowell, who lives near Samuel Place—a supportive housing complex on McIntosh Road in Rutland—has had similar experiences, including a frightening confrontation with a resident of the building.
“I had a neighbour that heard me screaming, and he came out and he went after him—that was about four months ago,” Nowell said. “I walk my dog with bear spray, a little knife, and a police-grade flashlight.”
Nowell said she called RCMP more than 100 times last year for help in the neighbourhood.
Media questions also focused on Stephen Village, another supportive housing project on Agassiz Road in the Landmark District. Residents living near that building have petitioned the city to change its operational model to a dry facility—prohibiting the consumption of alcohol and drugs on site. Neighbours have also provided video footage showing drug use and indecent acts around the facility.
Dyas addressed those concerns in August 2024, participating in an RCMP ride-along and walking through the neighbourhood.
“We're not going to be able to resolve everything exactly the way that they want it,” Dyas said at today's event. “But we know that it's a concerted effort that we're doing continuously to try to make a difference. We're fighting a little bit of a headwind in certain things, but it's initiatives like this (supportive housing) that truly make a difference in fighting that headwind because we are seeing success.”
Tyler Zeeman, who lives near Stephen Village, was not convinced by the mayor’s comments.
“There was a woman teeing off on a guy with a golf club two days ago. It took the police three hours to come. The city doesn't care,” Zeeman said. “It took Tom (Dyas) months of me publicly calling him out in the news for him to agree to meet with us. And he finally did it—and it was pointless. They put up a camera. What's the camera gonna do?”
Zeeman, Nowell, and Johnson said they want council to advocate for taxpaying citizens and believe these types of facilities aren't working.
“Step up and speak to the province and fight for the taxpayers,” Zeeman added. “These need to be dry facilities.”
In his comments, the mayor noted that there is still more the city needs to do in supporting people experiencing homelessness.
“We're not done,” Dyas said. “And anything that the neighbours speak to with regards to it, we hear them. We also recognize that there are some changes that need to be made—potentially on a federal level with regards to some repeat offender laws—which are going to definitely help us too.”
The Appaloosa Rd. facility is the third temporary housing project in the city. Step Place on Crowley Avenue and Trailside Housing along Highway 97 North both opened in 2024. Each project provided 60 tiny homes.
“In just over a year since the opening of Step Place and Trailside, 66 people have already transitioned from these sites into different forms of housing,” the mayor said. “And hundreds of residents’ goals have been achieved—from connecting to mental health and addiction supports to finding full-time employment and taking meaningful steps forward in rebuilding their lives.”
Balsam Place homes include a private entrance, bed, desk, mini fridge, heating and air conditioning, and storage space. The site also provides shared areas for dining, lounging, and laundry, as well as access to overdose-prevention services, care professionals, and support and safety services such as life-skills programming and support-group referrals. There are multiple safety features to maintain resident safety, including security cameras and controlled access gates.
Connective, a non-profit housing operator, will manage day-to-day operations.
