Second-quarter delinquency rates for loans held in commercial mortgage-backed securities are at the highest level since the Mortgage Bankers Association began tracking the data in 1997. The MBA also said Thursday that delinquency rates for other mortgage groups “remain below levels seen in the early 1990’s, some by large margins.” The association’s commercial/multifamily delinquency report showed the delinquency rate for CMBS during the second quarter was 8.22%, which is up from 3.91% in the year earlier and 0.53% in 2008. MBA said the CMBS rate comprises loans 30+ days delinquent, including foreclosures and real estate owned (REO). The first quarter, 30+ day delinquency rate on loans held in CMBS was 6.83%. “Life insurance companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to see relatively low delinquency rates on their commercial and multifamily mortgages,” said Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s vice president of commercial real estate research. “The delinquency rate on banks’ commercial and multifamily mortgages appears to have reached a plateau, and the delinquency rate for loans in CMBS continued to climb during the period. Performance across all investor groups will continue to depend on economic growth and its ability to generate demand for commercial real estate space.” Write to Jason Philyaw.