> It isn't so much extend and pretend, its landlord CANT lower the rent without violating their loan.

IANAPropertyGuy, but IIRC the banks don't really want to foreclose on it anyway, because that means recognizing that they made losing loans and they don't want to have to figure out what to do with the building that can't be sold off for much.

Hence strategically looking the other way when landlords off "first X months free" deals in lieu of an officially-lower rent.