“We’re in a national crisis, and government authorities are taking unprecedented action —  appropriate action — to protect the health and safety of our fellow citizens, but that has put unbelievable stress on the retail and shopping center industries,” McGee said. “What we have specifically asked in a letter we sent to the administration, as well as [to] congressional leaders, is for them to either guarantee or provide business-interruption insurance to tenants and landlords as we confront this crisis. This will allow the industry to pay suppliers and employees and ultimately allow the industry to emerge in a situation where we continue to be a viable part of communities across the country.”

Retailers and shopping centers account for 1 in 4 jobs in the U.S., McGee points out. “If you want to save the American economy, it seems implicit that you would want to save the retail and shopping center industry,” he said.

Indeed, shopping centers are critical to the economic and social viability of communities across the country, McGee argues. “When you think about physical retail and what it provides and supports for the community, it’s integral to everyday life.”

Shopping center owners are demonstrating that they are prepared to support government actions to contain the virus, by allowing their parking lots and unoccupied spaces to be used for emergency purposes, McGee says.

“We are clearly in a very dire situation right now,” said McGee. “People are protecting themselves — appropriately — and staying home, and that is having a traumatic impact upon retailers, bars, restaurants, gyms, service providers — all the folks that occupy the shopping center, whether it’s a neighborhood grocery center or a regional mall.”

But the need and urgency are clear, McGee asserted: “If we want to save an industry that’s critically important to our nation, the government needs to act.”

Listen to the full interview here.