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Justin Ludwig discovered Florence in 2021 when his mom moved to town to work as a nurse at Peace Health. He visited for several summers, he said, before deciding to make the move a couple of years ago. 

He’s quickly become involved in the community, working with non-profits and political groups. And he’s not shy about expressing his political views. “Being involved and at least aware of what’s happening in politics is important,” he said. 

Flock cameras, climate change, keeping data centers and ICE out of Florence, and the homeless are at the center of his concerns. These tie into the specifics he’s listed as his goals for Florence and his campaign: affordable housing, inclusive community values, a healthy environment, transparent government, remove the cameras, improve public transportation, data center moratorium, and encouraging local civic participation.

There are no plans for a data center or ICE detention facility in Florence, as far as he’s aware, but Ludwig wants people to know where he stands on the issues and how it reflects his broader set of values. 

Ludwig was born in California and raised by his mom, her girlfriend, and his grandparents. His grandfather was a Navy veteran, a painter, and active in the local church, Ludwig said. His grandmother was a receptionist and office worker. “They were just really kind people. And so they helped me quite a lot, I think, to learn about just the way to treat people,” he said. 

At 11, he moved to rural Missouri, and he spent 15 years or so in New York City before moving to Florence. “I’ve seen many different ways communities can be. I think I bring a lot of experience to Florence, having that very diverse background,” Ludwig said. 

A permanent shelter for people who are homeless and removing the Flock cameras are specific actions he supports for Florence. He volunteered at the cold weather shelter last year, he said, and the group struggles each year to find a location. “Every year they tell me that they have trouble getting a location approved, finding a spot.” He supports finding a permanent location for a year-round shelter. 

He believes city council has a responsibility to make sure everyone is heard, including “smaller groups like minorities or LGBTQ folks who maybe wouldn’t necessarily have the same volume to their voice as some of the other bigger groups,” he said. 

Ludwig believes the city can increase the number of affordable rentals and homes in the city. Limiting the number of short-term rentals such as Airbnbs could increase the number of properties available for long-term rent or sale. “We could limit those so that there’s less of those houses being used that way, so that people who live here can use those houses to have a family,” Ludwig said.

Adjusting the city codes to more easily allow for ADUs, Accessory Dwelling Units, could allow people to build a second, smaller, unit, increasing the number of homes in the city. 

The state defines ADUs as “a small residential structure located on the same lot as a single-family dwelling. An ADU can be attached, detached, or built within the main home. It includes areas for cooking, eating, sleeping and a bathroom. It cannot have more than two bedrooms and must meet state and local size limits and planning requirements.”

The city of Florence currently allows the construction of ADUs, subject to approval and applicable building codes. 

He sees The Elm Park apartments as one model for how the city can build subsidized housing. “And also some HUD apartments because Elm Park, even though it’s affordable, it’s, you know, still not within reach for some people,” he said. 

The city needs a climate action plan, Ludwig believes. Smoke from wildfires and rising sea levels are two specific concerns Ludwig feels the city should be prepared for. “There’s a lot of things that we’re already doing that could be considered part of a climate action plan. So it’s not like we’re, you know, starting from scratch.” And a plan could be modeled after existing action plans in other Oregon coastal towns, he said. 

Because we have a city manager running the day-to-day in Florence, it allows city council to think about the bigger picture, “sort of a wider vision of things,” Ludwig said. 

Ludwig is soft-spoken. “I’m a pretty reserved person. Maybe even shy,” he said. But he sees that as an asset for a city council member. “I think it doesn’t hurt to be a kind of person who listens really well.”

“I have a lot of people in this community who want to see some improvements, or they really care about something important,” he said. “And I will take every opportunity I can to make sure that their voices are heard on City Council.”