In a town hall meeting at the Urbana Youth Center Wednesday night, Justin Weller, founder of the Urbana Youth Center and Urbana Tomorrow, spoke about his campaign and fight for freedom.
Over the past several years, Weller claims he was the target of discrimination by the City of Urbana and is now taking legal action against them in the form of a federal lawsuit.
Weller’s story begins in 2018 when he approached city officials with plans for his company and its involvement in city improvements.
Feeling ignored, but still wanting to make an impact on the community, Weller unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2019 on a platform based on youth programs and reducing government waste.
It was then that Weller says the city removed and destroyed numerous campaign signs. He lost the election by just 250 votes.
Justin wasn’t deterred though.
He shortly thereafter announced plans to start a youth center in Urbana. In 2021, he opened the Urbana Youth Center (UYC) with significant participation and support from the community.
He even received state funding for renovations to the building but blames the city for its lack of support, putting that funding on hold.
In 2023, conflicts between Weller and the City escalated when the city interfered with one of Justin’s development projects.
An old home at 405 Gwynne Street in Urbana was purchased by Weller and renovated when Justin received a notice of code violations on the property.
He says he was given 10 days to correct the violations or the home would be subject to demolition.
Weller responded to the citation saying he would ensure the problems would be corrected and if they couldn’t be, he and his company would demolish the property.
As his work continued on the building, which held historical value as the first grocery and filling station in the area, he was informed the building had been demolished by the order of city officials and he was responsible for the cost of the actions.
Additionally, Weller was brought up on criminal charges of theft when a tenant informed him she moved out of one of his rental properties.
When he removed anything left behind to prepare for a new tenant, the old resident reported him to the police for stealing the things she left behind.
Weller was found guilty and received a suspended sentence of 1 year in prison.
His appeal was successful, however, as the appellate court found no evidence to support the claim he stole from the tenant.
Meanwhile, Justin’s company, Urbana Tomorrow, was facing unfounded accusations as well and the City Council repeatedly blocked housing projects Urbana Tomorrow was working on.
So in 2024, Justin filed a case against local officials for constitutional rights violations.
He claims the Urbana Police Division seized personal devices under questionable circumstances, and the city enforced stringent and inconsistent regulations on his projects.
Weller said he is looking for a return of the freedoms and safety we are all guaranteed in the 1st and 14th Amendments of the Constitution.
Members of the Urbana City Council refused to comment on the federal lawsuit and the town hall meeting.
Urbana Mayor Bill Bean did say, however, that the City is aware of the lawsuit filed by Mr. Weller, and is vigorously defending it. “The City denies any wrongdoing whatsoever,” he insisted. “At least one defendant has already been dismissed from that lawsuit by the Court, and the City is confident that it will prevail.”
