
In the residential arena in particular, one common theme of debate has been the impassioned (and sometimes menacing) demands for rent relief in the form of “rent strikes,” and full-on rent forgiveness by landlords. Municipalities have, in varying forms, discussed, considered, even proposed laws requiring that landlords either forgive or defer rent collection. Not surprisingly, landlords have resisted – mainly citing their own mortgage, labor, tax, insurance and other operational costs.