OK. Your view seems to be growing more clear.
If the landlord had sent an email stating explicitly in writing that he was refusing to rent to me again out of retribution for me demanding that local COVID-19 emergency orders be followed, perhaps you might consider that to be landlord retaliation.
However, if the landlord had sent an email stating explicitly in writing that he was refusing to waive the 4% rent increase out of retribution for me demanding that local COVID-19 emergency orders be followed, that would not constitute landlord retaliation because the 4% rent increase was something I had previously agreed to while signing the lease.
Thank you for writing your kind hopes.