Cynthia Rollins doesn’t hate California — far from it. The sun-drenched shores of San Diego, the vibrant desert oasis of Palm Springs and the hustle of San Francisco all held special places in the California native’s life story. But in 2020 — at the height of the pandemic — Rollins’ typically serene Ocean Beach neighborhood became crowded with people desperate for an outdoor place to congregate. She couldn’t leave her 650-square-foot apartment without worrying about finding a parking spot when she got home. She was isolated working a remote job for a tech company, but still overwhelmed by the sheer...