A reallocation of the tax assessment so a higher percentage of the tax bill comes from the land (which is permanent) based on how it is zoned and less on the improvements (which are temporary) would create a greater incentive to for absentee owners to either develop, sell to someone who will develop or downzone their parcels and place in a conservation easement.

Detroit and Baltimore are two examples of where absentee landowners can effectively sit on urban parcels with dilapidated structures that lead to blight and crime that strain government budgets at little to no cost to themselves.