In Unprecedented Times, Nothing Less Than Universal Rent Relief Will Do An intimate look at what it’s like fighting for meaningful state-level rent relief when the powers that be don’t believe everyone is worth saving. February 3, 2021, 10am PST | LM_Ortiz Share Journal entry—Dec. 9, 2020 I am yelling on a Zoom call again, this one a virtual meeting of policymakers, community leaders, and technocrats talking about Oregon state policy. As a faculty member at Portland State University, I am often invited to lend expertise to discussions about housing and urban policy, especially racial equity, which usually means sharing research and data. In the ninth month of combination pandemic–economic crisis–racial justice uprising advisory committees, my vocal pitch has become unpleasantly sharp. Today there is a protracted argument among Oregon state leaders about whether to return the legislature for emergency lawmaking before the January session. The Oregon eviction moratorium expires in 22 days; for obvious reasons, it’s not wise to count on an extension to the CDC’s nationwide eviction moratorium, which is also less protective than the local policies.