A lot of those commercial properties have mortgages that require them to be rented at prices that are out of line with the current market.

So it’s really the landlord sucking it up and paying a mortgage on something that is not generating revenue and hoping the economy gets better.

If they are right, the economy will get better and someone will rent them. But if they are wrong, they will go bankrupt and the property will be taken over by the banks, who won’t be forced to ask the unrealistic rents anymore.

The problem is that both scenarios can take a long time to resolve.

Until then, the city could at least require those business properties to not be an eye sore showing disrepair, with trash accumulating on the side walk, etc.