Now what???? Locked into auto renew lease on townhome/bought home

[Rebekah Hitt]

I just closed with my first property which I had planned to live in while rehabbing. Just found out my lease on the townhome I have leased for a year has an auto renew clause. I didn't think much of it expecting to pay a fee and be done with it.

The management company sent me an early term contract letter stating I'm liable for the rent for the year (lease was renewed automatically 07/01/2021) since I didn't give them 60 days notice. Not only that, if I move out, I'm still liable for rent and utilities until someone else rents it and/or until the next end of lease: June 2022. 

My questions are these: 

1. how enforceable is an auto renew lease? I'm from CA where you can't do that: a lease terms and it's month to month until you get a new contract signed so I'm a bit surprised they can do the auto lease not notify you thing. 

2. I re read the lease: I can't sublease which is completely frustrating since if I term early they charge $400 early term and I'm still on the hook for the remainder of the lease and utilities until the lease is up which is approximately $16000 (!!). They have no incentive to lease it for me since they have me locked in tight with their unreasonable lease agreement. 

3. has anyone had luck with Furnished Finders, renting exclusively to travel nurses. They charged $99 up front and I have no basis to know if they are good. 

4. My only option now it seems is to eat a HUGE loss and leave the townhouse and risk paying on that even though I'm not living there (last choice option), trying to add a roommate to the townhouse lease to house hack and reduce my expenses, and then while doing that get roomies for my home and get the mortgage covered on that for the next now 9 months of my lease term. 

Any advice? 

Thanks in advance!

Bekah