Plus, for years CA residents and visitors have complained about it being overcrowded, so I wouldn't take this as a sign of doom, more relief from too many people congesting the cities. 

Government will force landlords to shoulder some of the relief for working class and poor renters.

My company is doing this and we have raised ten's of thousands for our local Business Chamber's Small Business Relief Fund, as well as for a local children's hospital that is providing food to local kids who normally depend on their school lunch programs to eat.   

Another play that would give you some relief and may delay things long enough to be of help  is if you are closing between now and Dec. 31 you have the opportunity to shift the date of recognition of your gain into 2015.  

I don't think a former tenancy should disqualify you from the CA rent relief program. 

If that doesn't work your best shot at relief would be against the seller, as they would have sold you an illegal lot, though they could argue the contrary since the county approved.

Gavin Newsom is pleading for the federal government to bail out his state as projected budget shortfalls for the coming fiscal year due to coronavirus-related shutdowns are expected to impact public service workers like police and firefighters first.But oddly, Newsom’s plea of poverty comes as he and the Democrat-led state legislature authorize tens of millions of dollars to be paid out to illegal aliens living in the state as part of a “coronavirus relief” plan.

https://www.change.org/p/salt-lake-county-mayor-jenny-wilson-salt-lake-city-mayor-erin-mendenhall-and-utah-governor-gary-herbert-rent-relief-for-residents-of-utahThe petition is Canada is growing in response as well; 350,000 signatures within 3 days.https://www.change.org/p/feder...

What a relief... for a year.

Not fool proof, but it did give me some relief.