Ken Genser

Ken Genser (November 11, 1950 – January 9, 2010) was mayor of Santa Monica, California, until he died in office. Genser also served on the Santa Monica City Council.

Political career

Genser served as a member of the Santa Monica Planning Commission and Santa Monica City Council. He was described as an advocate for affordable housing and the restoration of the Santa Monica Pier. Genser served on the City Council from 1988 until his death in 2010, and he was elected to the mayorship in 1992, 2000, and 2008. At the time of his death, he was Santa Monica's longest-serving councilmember.

According to a 1990 Los Angeles Times article, Genser was an opponent of new real estate development. A 1993 Los Angeles Times article described Genser as being part of the "militant slow-growth faction" of the City Council. He was also reported to have been associated with the pro-renter faction in Santa Monica politics. John Gilderbloom described Genser as part of a progressive block of politicians that emerged in Santa Monica in the late 1980s who advanced a "progressive agenda" of controlling land use development through participatory democracy. According to Gilderbloom, Genser and his progressive colleagues would advance community interests by striking deals with developers to include community benefits.

Prior to his election to the City Council in 1988, Genser served as the Chair of Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights.

References

  1. ↑ "Ken Genser dies at 59; Santa Monica mayor and councilman - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. January 11, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Mayor Genser dead at 59". Santa Monica Daily Press. January 11, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  3. ↑ William-Ross, Lindsay (January 9, 2010). "Santa Monica Mourns Loss of Mayor Ken Genser". LAist. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Santa Monica Mayor Genser was `indefatigable champion'". Daily Breeze. January 9, 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Mayor Genser remembered as tenacious". Santa Monica Daily Press. January 25, 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  6. ↑ Moran, Julio (November 29, 1990). "2 to Split Santa Monica Mayoralty : Politics: Council members Ken Genser and Judy Abdo, both in tenants group, will each serve a year". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  7. ↑ "They Loaded Up the Film and Shot in Beverly". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1993. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  8. ↑ Hill-Holtzman, Nancy (April 25, 1993). "NEWS ANALYSIS : Acrimony Seems This Council's Hallmark : Politics: Ken Genser and Kelly Olsen have staked out a distinctly contrarian agenda. They prefer to call it a vision for the city". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Planning Board Appointment Protested". Los Angeles Times. June 27, 1985. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Capek, Stella; Gilderbloom, John Ingram (1992). Community Versus Commodity: Tenants and the American City. New York: State University of New York Press. p. 170-171, 191-192, 207.
  11. ↑ Wilkinson, Tracy (November 10, 1988). "Liberals Back in Control of Santa Monica City Council". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2026.