The City of Wichita has issued formal eviction notices to people living in the Chapin encampment, also known as “Narnia,” giving residents until October 12 to leave before cleanup of the area begins the following day.
KAKE News reporter Abby Wray spoke with people living at the South Wichita site, where estimates of the population vary sharply depending on who is counting. Bobby and Shannon Redgate said they believe roughly 80 people live there, while local advocates estimate 30 to 50 and the city puts the current number at about 25.
For people who have lived there for years, the notice is not just about moving tents or belongings. It raises a much harder question about where they are supposed to go next.
Residents Say They Have Nowhere To Go
Bobby Redgate told Wray that he and Shannon feel trapped by the deadline.
“We’re kinda stuck and you know if we get caught here after the 13th, we’re gonna go to jail,” he said.
The couple said they have lived near Chapin Park for about five years and that they were originally brought to the area by the city’s Homeless Outreach Team.
“The HOT team brought us out here,” Bobby said. “They loaded up our belongings five years ago and brought us out here and we’ve been here ever since.”
That history makes the current eviction especially frustrating for the couple. Bobby said the same system that once helped move them to the area is now telling them they have to leave it.
The city’s letter says everyone must vacate by October 12, with clearing of the encampment scheduled to begin October 13.
Bobby said an officer told them the area would eventually be bulldozed after residents were gone.
“They just want to come in and devastate our lives by taking everything from us and telling us that we have to go,” he said.
Housing Vouchers Do Not Mean Housing Is Available
Shannon Redgate told KAKE that she and Bobby are still waiting for housing.
“We’re still on a waiting list for housing,” she said.
The couple said they have been on that list for four months.
According to the City of Wichita, 18 people from the encampment have already been housed, while 16 of the estimated 25 remaining residents have housing vouchers and are waiting for open rental units.
That distinction is important. A voucher may help pay for housing, but it does not create an available apartment, and the city itself said one of the biggest challenges is finding landlords willing to accept those vouchers.
The city also provided residents with a list of resources, but Wray reported that many of the options are temporary shelters that are often full. Family Promise of Greater Wichita, for example, currently has a wait list stretching weeks.
This is where the situation becomes especially difficult. On paper, people may have access to resources or vouchers, but in practice those options can still leave them without an immediate place to sleep.
City Calls The Encampment A Safety Risk
City spokesperson Megan Lovely told KAKE that officials are not focusing only on Chapin Park, but said this particular encampment had become a concern.
“We’re not just focused on Chapin, we’re focused on other parts of the area as well, but this was an area of concern,” Lovely said.
The city says it has been working since March to “engage, connect, and house” people living on the state-owned property along the Arkansas River near Hydraulic and I-235.
Officials also described the encampment as a safety risk for residents, the surrounding community and first responders.
According to the city, Wichita police have responded to the area 69 times in the past three years for incidents including aggravated battery, aggravated kidnapping, arson, motor vehicle theft, unlawful possession of methamphetamine and murder.
The Wichita Fire Department has also responded 18 times in the past five years.
The city added that the site sits in a flood plain, creating another safety concern if an emergency develops.
From the city’s perspective, those numbers help explain why officials are moving toward closure. From the residents’ perspective, though, the deadline does not solve the larger problem of where people go after the camp is gone.
Residents Say Help Has Been Limited
Bobby told Wray he had asked an officer whether the city could help move people or their belongings.
He said the answer he received was no.
“Nobody is offering to come down and help anything out,” Bobby said, adding that he had asked an officer named Nate for assistance.
The city’s written notice, however, says residents who need help transporting items can call listed contacts or speak with outreach workers on site.
That difference between what residents say they were told and what the city says is available shows some of the confusion surrounding the closure.
Bobby also said he has lived peacefully at the encampment.
“I ain’t even had one complaint on me the whole time I’ve been here,” he said.
He and others say they fear being treated as though every person living at the site is responsible for the criminal incidents cited by the city.
Closure Date Is Set For October 12
The city says formal written notice was provided to people still living at the site on September 23, with another notice scheduled for October 9.
Residents are expected to be gone by October 12, and cleanup is set to begin October 13.
City staff say they will continue helping people find housing and services both before and after the encampment closes, even if residents move somewhere else.
Officials are also asking landlords to consider accepting housing vouchers, saying the shortage of available units is one of the biggest obstacles to moving people out of homelessness.
The city says its goal is to handle the closure with compassion while getting people into safer housing.
Still, the deadline is now very real for those who remain.
“We Don’t Have Anyone To Rely On”
For Bobby, the biggest concern is not the camp itself but the people living there.
“Some of us don’t have families,” he said. “Some of us, our moms and dads are gone, are dead. We don’t have anyone to rely on, just ourselves.”
That may be the clearest way to understand the tension around the Chapin encampment.
The city is pointing to crime, emergency calls, flooding risks and public safety. Residents are pointing to waiting lists, full shelters and the reality that losing a campsite does not automatically mean gaining a home.
Wray’s report showed both sides of that divide, but for the people still living at Chapin, the immediate issue is simple: October 12 is approaching, and many still do not know where they will be sleeping once the encampment is cleared.
Gary’s love for adventure and preparedness stems from his background as a former Army medic. Having served in remote locations around the world, he knows the importance of being ready for any situation, whether in the wilderness or urban environments. Gary’s practical medical expertise blends with his passion for outdoor survival, making him an expert in both emergency medical care and rugged, off-the-grid living. He writes to equip readers with the skills needed to stay safe and resilient in any scenario.
