[JDiculous]

I have to disagree with #2. Landlords can charge whatever they want, and there is little reason to suspect that they'll lower rents after this.

[amiga_500]

Nope, they have to respond to lower economic activity. If a business goes bust they get voids.

This is not a normal period where one failing company can simply be replaced by another successful one.

[avalys]

Bingo. If a landlord owns 50 restaurant spaces that are fully occupied and one restaurant starts having financial problems, the landlord doesn’t care, he can let them close down and find a new tenant.

If all 50 restaurants start having problems, he now is going to be super motivated to figure out a way to help them all stay in business.

[JDiculous]

Yea but this not a permanent shock, it's a temporary disruption. As soon as this passes over, rents will likely revert back to where they were before.

In NYC there are many vacant commercial spaces because landlords hold out for the highest paying tenants. You're overestimating the desperation of landlords.