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# Santa Monica Visitors Bureau seeks public input on city's brand
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/community-briefs-20040929/
- Published: 2004-09-29T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T01:03:45.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Community, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*COMMUNITY BRIEFS*

The Santa Monica Visitors and Conventions Bureau for the past year and a half has been researching how this city should be “branded” to visitors. Focus groups have been held in New York, Chicago and London, as well as in Los Angeles to determine what people think Santa Monica should be known for — its positive aspects.

Las Vegas is known as “Sin City” and New York is the “City that never sleeps.” Whatever Santa Monica’s moniker will be is intended to be used in promoting the city as a destination place.

So this week, Q-Line wants to know, “How should Santa Monica be branded? What should the rest of the world know about us?”

Please don’t respond with answers like “Home of the homeless” or “People’s Republic of Santa Monica,” as many already view the city in that regard.

Call (310) 285-8106 before Friday at 5 p.m. and we’ll print you response in our weekend edition. Please limit your comments to a minute or less. It might help if you think about the wording of your response first. See BRIEFS, page 5 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and the catered event, with dessert provided by the Loew’s Hotel, will begin at 7:15 p.m. Several of the artists will be at the reception, and there is a wine bar, live Jazz and valet parking.

Step Up on Second is a nonprofit corporation that assists individuals with severe and persistent mental illness reintegrate into the community. The agency offers long-term support to people in recovery and their families, offering educational, social and work programs, quality housing, and shower and laundry facilities, in addition to a daily meal program.

“This past year we worked with over 1,200 individuals at the agency and prepared nearly 40,000 meals for members,” Lipka said. “We have housing for only 34, so most of our members live off site or are homeless.

“Unfortunately with recent state cutbacks for mentally ill treatment facilities, our programs and all of our services are in even greater demand.”

The event will take place at the Lowe Gallery, 2034 Broadway, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For further information on “Art Heals” call (310) 394-6889, ext. 46, or Tickets are $100.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 29, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092904.pdf?ref=smdp.com)