Ernie Powell, Ken Genser, 2010
Ken and I were both tenants together at the Sea Castle back in the crazy days before any of us ever had an sense that we would be inside of government. When I knew him then I knew that he had a keen and perceptive sense of how to fight the good fight on behalf of tenants around keeping housing in Santa Monica affordable. He really got it in terms of how to do what was necessary in building a strong rent control law and also in terms of building the organization that was required to keep people involved.
Personally, he was a friend. We went to our favorite deli in Santa Monica all of the time, Zuckey's. There was a particularly grumpy person working there when you went up to pay your check. Kenny and I would bet on who could actually make her smile and or laugh because most of the time she just did not want to be very engaging (I suppose that was part of the charm of the place). Ken always won the bet.
He loved the Pier. It is my recollection that he served on one of the early advisory boards created after the storm that damaged the pier in 1982. He was really the people's advocate - what ever was going to replace the parts of the pier that fell into the ocean would be affordable, fun and accessible. That was what he fought for and that is ultimately what happened.
I will miss him. He was an honest and good man. And, a great personal friend over lots of years.