JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Florida Department of Children and Families was told suddenly to vacate its Westside office, catching the agency and those who show up for food stamps or other service scrambling for where to go.

A news release sent at 7:44 p.m. Tuesday announced that the closure, effectively immediately, was "beyond the control of the Department of Children and Families."

DCF spokesman John Harrell said the agency had been negotiating with the landlord to renew its lease on the storefront office on 103rd Street.

Harrell said DCF had operated in the storefront location on 103rd Street for about 20 years, but the ownership of the property recently changed hands. The state was negotiating with the new landlord, which was asking for a 20 percent. DCF had countered that was too much in tight economic times and negotiations were ongoing as recently as Monday.

Tuesday -- the day the lease expired -- DCF was told they had to be out by the end of the day.

"We were stumped by this, by the quickness of the decision by this out-of-state landlord," Harrell said. "This is not what we wanted; we want to provide with the best possible service and we wanted to be in that office for a longer period of time."

DCF stationed employees outside the storefront providing forms to people seeking food stamps, directing them to other offices around town or suggesting that they apply online at its Web site.

Community partners offering assistance with food stamp applications closest to the closed DCF office include:

• Family Support Services, 2200 Cassat Ave.
• Jacksonville Public Library, Webb Wesconnett Branch, 6887 103rd Street
• Jacksonville Public Library, Argyle Branch, 7973 Old Middleburg Road South
• Eureka Gardens, 1214 Labelle Street
• Full Service Schools, 6910 Daughtry Blvd. S.

There are three other DCF offices in the Jacksonville area:

• Clay County Service Center, 1845 Town Center Blvd., Suite 225, Orange Park
• Gateway Service Center, 5000-1 Norwood Ave., Jacksonville
• Beach Boulevard Service Center, 3740 Beach Blvd., Suite 3720

People already receiving food stamps and who have questions about their benefits or changes to their accounts can call the DCF's call center at 866-762-2237.