“Like other kinds of relationships, polyamorous relationships can be volatile in early stages, and sometimes people make stupid choices (or are forced to choose from bad options)—like moving in with each other before they really know each other very well. When the golden glow of new love (what polyamorists call new relationship energy) wears off, the resulting reality check can be exceedingly uncomfortable. With all the added stress from the social and economic fallout of the pandemic, some relationships dealing with the end of NRE will not be able to navigate their own challenges on top of the world-wide freak out. If a relationship breaks up, it could precipitate a housing crisis for one or more people right at a time when everyone supposed to be home. This can be especially challenging for poly folks and other sex and gender minorities who tend to live in urban areas where they can find partners and social acceptance. Unfortunately, these urban areas with liberal politics that are friendly to poly folks are also incredibly expensive—places like the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, or Washington, D.C. All of those areas are major hubs of polyamorous life and have the high cost of living that comes with being a decent place to live. Housing loss in one of these urban areas can be incredibly challenging because it can be quite difficult to find an affordable place to live.”
