A Daytona Beach resort owner has ignored city orders to repair a hurricane-damaged property for nearly four years, leaving dozens of unit owners locked out of their own condominiums while facing escalating fines that could reach $1,000 per day.

Owner Disappears as Penalties Mount

Jonathan Eid, CEO of Vienna Capital and owner of the Plaza Resort and Spa, failed to appear at a special magistrate hearing on Tuesday and has become unreachable by city inspectors. The landmark property has remained shuttered since Hurricane Ian struck in 2022, yet Eid has not pulled a single permit to begin repairs. He currently faces a $500-per-day fine for failing to repair the resort’s pool, with potential increases to $1,000 daily if remaining violations are not addressed by October.

Daytona Beach’s Plaza Resort owner faces daily fines as repairs stall https://t.co/FYQoS2NS8E pic.twitter.com/aIljlQNxtf

— WFTV Channel 9 (@WFTV) September 8, 2026

Special Magistrate David Vukelja questioned the lack of action during the hearing. “If we had a responsible owner, he’d be down here orchestrating his plans to us and sharing a construction schedule,” Vukelja stated. “Have we seen or heard anything like that to date?” City officials confirmed no repairs have been made and Eid remains unresponsive to their attempts at contact.

Unit Owners Locked Out for Four Years

More than a dozen individual unit owners protested outside the Plaza Resort on Tuesday, demanding the city help them access their properties. The Plaza operates as a condo hotel, where individuals own units while the building functions as a managed resort. Unit owner Pat Camp explained their frustration: “We feel like as unit owners who are paying our HOA fees every month now for over four years, the city should help us get access to our building.”

Eid acquired the century-old resort in 2021 and serves as president of the condominium association, giving him control over access. City code enforcement officials revealed they have also been blocked from entering the property and lack legal authority to access common areas without permission. The fines assessed thus far relate only to exterior conditions visible from outside the building.

Growing Financial Crisis

The property owes approximately $35,000 in back property taxes, according to city officials. Individual unit owners continue paying monthly homeowners association fees despite having no access to their units for four years. A special magistrate found the property noncompliant in August and ordered repairs, but a month later, Eid still had not pulled permits to begin work. Unit owners have granted the city permission to access their individual units, but the owner’s control over common areas prevents entry.