Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has made some controversial statements about addressing the city's homelessness crisis, suggesting that other cities should pay an "impact fee" if their homeless residents move to Oakland. This concept is rooted in the commonly debunked myth that homeless people migrate to the Bay Area for its superior services. Thao's proposal faces criticism from advocates such as Candice Elder, executive director of the advocacy group East Oakland Collective, and Talya Husbands-Hankin, an Oakland homeless advocate, who argue that the focus should be on creating long-term policies to prevent more Oaklanders from losing their housing and meeting the urgent housing needs. Additionally, Eric Tars, legal director of the National Homelessness Law Center in D.C., debunks the "Greyhound therapy" stereotype, stating that most people are homeless in the communities they grew up in.

Top image: Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao arrives at the opening night premiere of "Stephen Curry: Underrated" at 66th San Francisco International Film Festival at Grand Lake Theatre on April 13, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images)

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