Are there any clever ways to liberate my equity as cash? 

Sounds crazy to me, and Austin even though in a conservative state is very liberal and I can see down the road adopting some of those same policies.  

Being mostly Liberal I would assume they have. 

@Gabriel CardusNot totally on point here, but we own a few furnished medium-term rentals in Colorado Springs, and it's private liberal arts college -- Colorado College -- just kicked its students out of the dorms due to covid concerns.

I am no expert on FHA requirements but I understand that the lending standards are quite liberal for owner-occupied homes. 

But maybe as I grow my portfolio and have more in the bank, I’ll be able to to be a bit more liberal in reserve percentages. 

And even when local residents find themselves short of cash, we have another huge advantage on much of the rest of the world: liberal property ownership rights.

Most of the people moving in were nice and simply seeking a better life (however personally defined)  The few that were bringing their ideologies and forcing them on others are the real source of angst for the "locals".All that to say this flood of people to neighboring states is nothing new.Despite CA being incredibly liberal and ridiculous in so many ways, it will always be crowded and expensive due to so many natural geographical offerings.

For the right price anything is possible, but if I were buying a tenant occupied property now I would be counting on not being able to evict until at at least the end of this year, possibly longer (especially in liberal states).

You have hit the JACKPOT of resources for real estate investors.