Created: 7/1/2009 4:36:57 PM 
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- All day long they kept coming up to the locked front doors, people like Karen Harris, who doesn't have a car and walks to the Westside DCF office.
She found out this morning this office she's been going to for more than three years is now closed for good.
And with no car, it's going to be a much longer walk to one of the other locations of the Department of Children and Families.
And especially recently, this office has been extra busy.
"The economy is bad right now, people need help and it's important they be here," says DCF customer Latoya McDougal.
But DCF says it had no advance warning and the landlord wanted to raise the rent 25%. DCF couldn't pay, and after 20 years was told to be out at the close of business Tuesday.
"We wish the landlord had shown more respect for the fact we had been in that location for an extremely long time, we are very discouraged by the suddenness of the decision," says John Harrell with DCF.
DCF is directing people to use its website for services.
Or people with questions can call 1-866-762-2237.
The other area DCF locations are:
Beach Boulevard Service Center, 3740 Beach Blvd.
Gateway Service Center, 5000 Norwood Ave.
Orange Park, 1845 Town Center Blvd., Suite 225
First Coast News did talk to the building owner Mario Villasamta.
He says he worked out a tentative deal with DCF Friday that would have increased the rent by $4.25 per square foot but DCF backed out a few hours later.
He says he would be willing to continue negotiating but hasn't heard from DCF since Tuesday.
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