We take this as a given, but historically this is actually quite unusual. It was not uncommon for kings in the past to declare a “debt jubilee” where all debts public and private were null and void. These were commonly called for both important royal events, as well as locally after natural disasters struck.
Obviously there are knock on effects to this. It’s very hard to give out loans if the loan is likely to get wiped out when the king dies, and the cost of any loan is inexorably tied to the risk of a jubilee. But given the scope of personal economic crisis in the face of the pandemic, perhaps we could have taken a page from history and provided some relief to our poor and vulnerable, rather than letting them go destitute through no fault of their own?
Or, employers could just offer more money.
> Seriously, if you don't work right now you are getting UI, Food Stamps, and you don't have to pay rent.
Note that there is not a rent moratorium, just an eviction moratorium, so unless you plan is to both get evicted and deal with the unpaid debt (perhaps through bankruptcy, which has downstream adverse impacts) when the moratorium ends, and not move.(since there is likewise not a moratorium on adverse credit reporting, or potential landlords making credit checks) there are very good reasons to pay rent.