Comment by Thayer-D

"If taxes are based on assessed value, vacant land is typically going to have a lower assessment than a parcel with improvements" Then change the way abandoned buildings are assecced. Tax it like it was an empty parcel, and when it's occupied, tax it like an "improved" lot. The unintended consequence of property owners "picking the least bad option available" made the rest of the block that much more unattractive, creating a spiral descent of property values, to say nothing about the lost revenue of when things turn around and you don't have the nice fabric that's so in demand.