Nuisance board hears city say Jay's Food Store still violates 2024 order; security, windows and unpaid fees cited

The City of Daytona Beach nuisance abatement board heard city police testimony on Wednesday that Jay’s Food Store, also identified in filings as Family Food Inc. at 600 North Ridgewood, remained out of compliance with a February 2024 abatement order.

Sergeant Timothy Blowers of the Daytona Beach Police Department summarized the city’s evidence in a presentation of photographs and police reports, saying the property “has a history of illegal activities, which include drug sales, prostitution, violent crime, stolen vehicles, aggravated batteries, simple batteries, frauds, tobacco sale violation, alcohol sale violations, gambling” and other incidents. He told the board that multiple provisions of the prior order were not satisfied and that the city was bringing numerous police reports documenting arrests and trespass warnings into evidence.

The order the board issued in February 2024 required several remedies “in furtherance” of prohibitions on maintaining a nuisance. Staff said two provisions in particular were not followed: paragraph 3(a), which requires a security guard from a licensed, reputable company on site during all open hours, and paragraph 3(c), which requires store windows remain unobstructed to allow clear views into and out of the store. When counsel asked if staff considered the property in compliance with the security requirement, Sergeant Blowers answered plainly, “They are not in compliance.”

Police witnesses described repeated encounters at…