The North Tahoe Community Alliance (NTCA) relies on its volunteer committees to guide how TOT-TBID Dollars at Work are reinvested in the community, ensuring projects and initiatives align with local priorities.

Currently, the following committee seats are open:

• TBID Advisory Committee: Olympic Valley/Alpine Meadows seat – apply by December 15
• Zone 1 Committee: At-large seat – apply by December 15
• Business and Chamber Advisory Committee: Kings Beach District seat, restaurant business seat, lodging business seat

If you represent a business within the NLT-TBID District Boundary and are interested in serving, click the links above to learn more and apply. Help shape the future of North Tahoe!

Adam Wilson, Chief Operating Officer, North Tahoe Community Alliance
Published in the Sierra Sun on November 15, 2025 >

Having grown up here, for as long as I can remember, North Lake Tahoe has faced a critical question:  how do we maintain a vibrant, sustainable, and resilient economy that supports the people who live and work here, while also preserving what makes this place so special for everyone?

One tool that has proven effective has been the formation of the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID).

Established through a collaborative effort among local business leaders, the TBID is a self-assessment made by lodging, retail, restaurant, and activity-based businesses within our community. It’s not a tax—it’s a collective commitment to addressing community priorities. And it has created a locally controlled, dedicated source of primarily tourism-generated funding that allows us to reinvest in the priorities that matter most to our region.

Why We Need the TBID

Before the TBID, the only source of tourism based revenue generation was transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenue generated by overnight visitors, which is allocated by Placer County. The TBID created a more flexible and locally governed tool to reinvest revenue generated not only by overnight visitors, but those who visit for the day, directly into the community—supporting infrastructure, programs, and services that benefit residents, visitors, and the local economy.

This shift has empowered our business community to help decide how funds are allocated, ensuring local priorities are reflected in our investments. The result is a more transparent, community-focused approach to making tourism work for our region.

What the TBID Has Made Possible

Since the TBID’s launch, tourism-generated dollars have been put to work in tangible, impactful ways. Through the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program, $33.5 million of TOT and TBID funds have been invested in programs that likely wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

Here are just a few examples:

• Microtransit Expansion: TBID funds have helped support TART Connect, the free, on-demand microtransit service that improves mobility for residents and visitors.
• Workforce Housing Programs: Initiatives like Lease to Locals and the Workforce Housing Preservation Program have been supported by the TBID to help provide housing options for local employees.
• Environmental Stewardship Initiatives: Investments in the Clean Up the Lake scuba cleanups, the BEBOT beach cleaning robot, and Don’t Drop the Top campaign reflect our commitment to protecting Tahoe’s natural resources.
• Trail and Recreation Access Improvements: TBID funding has supported winter trail grooming, bike and pedestrian safety, and trail and trailhead improvements to ensure everyone can enjoy Tahoe.
• Local Business Support: Tourism development, Love North Tahoe shop, dine and play local, event funding, workforce vanpool programs and destination management efforts have helped our businesses stay strong year-round—not just during peak seasons.

What the TBID Means for Our Future

If renewed by the business community this fall, the TBID will continue to serve as a cornerstone of responsible destination management. It will allow us to continue to invest in workforce housing solutions and clean transportation options, protect our natural environment, and ensure that North Lake Tahoe evolves in a way that is authentic, inclusive, and sustainable.

It also ensures that local businesses maintain a direct voice in how tourism revenues are spent—something that is crucial for the long-term economic health of our community.

A New Era of Local Investment

From my perspective as COO of the North Tahoe Community Alliance, the TBID has fundamentally changed how we think about reinvestment. For the first time, we have a reliable revenue stream that is directed by our community, for our community. Our board and committees—comprised of local business owners and stakeholders—carefully evaluate every funding request to ensure it aligns with our shared goals:  improving quality of life, sustaining our economy, and protecting our natural assets.

This isn’t just about tourism—it’s about transformation. The TBID allows our community to address long-standing needs, pilot creative solutions, and build a future where North Lake Tahoe can thrive—economically, environmentally, and socially.

As we look ahead, I encourage our business community to continue engaging in this process. The TBID represents our collective power to shape the future of North Lake Tahoe, and its renewal is critical to continuing the progress we’ve made together.

Let’s keep building a North Lake Tahoe that works for all of us.

After 27 years as the North Tahoe Visitor Information Center Manager, Kym Fabel recently retired, leaving behind a lasting legacy in North Lake Tahoe. Known as the welcoming face of the region, Kym shared her warmth, local knowledge, and passion with countless visitors and community members, helping make their stays unforgettable.

A self-described “Navy Brat,” Kym was born in Spain and has lived across the country—including Norfolk, San Diego, Pacific Grove, Castro Valley, Davis, and Tahoe. Over the years, she has worked in diverse roles, from testing Central Valley soils for gas exploration at Chevron to ticket sales at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and serving as Director of Group Sales at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where she launched the aquarium’s first behind-the-scenes tours. She also worked in lodging at Northstar California Resort before finding her “dream job” at the Visitor Center in Tahoe City in 1999.

In her role, Kym thrived on helping visitors discover the best North Lake Tahoe recreation, restaurants, and lodging. She enjoys mountain biking, paddleboarding, hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, and volunteering as a site steward, monitoring archaeological sites in Nevada with the BLM and U.S. Forest Service.

Kym’s dedication, expertise, and genuine spirit have made a lasting impact on our community. Please join us in celebrating her remarkable career and wishing her all the best in her well-deserved retirement!

First Tuesday Breakfast Club is a community forum hosted by the North Tahoe Community Alliance. It presents an opportunity to learn about timely community news, project information, and relevant updates from businesses and influencers in North Lake Tahoe.

Breakfast Club takes place on the first Tuesday of each month from 7:00-8:30 AM.

November First Tuesday Breakfast Club:

November 4, 2025
Winter Resort Updates

Agenda:

• Introduction to Breakfast Club and round robin introductions
• Bryan Allegretto, OpenSnow
• Amy Ohran, Palisades Tahoe
• Kelsey Wasilewski, Northstar California
• Bridget Legnavsky, Sugar Bowl/Royal Gorge
• Tucker Norred, Boreal
• Jack Bentley, Homewood
• Chris Parson, Granlibakken
• Ben Grasseschi, Tahoe XC
• Q&A
• Supervisor Gustafson, Placer County
• Agency Updates
• Community Stump Speeches

Click the link below to join at 7 am on Tuesday, November 4.

The NTCA’s updated Strategic Plan for 2025-2028 continues to outline a robust vision for a vibrant community where tourism-generated funding supports a healthy economy, protects the natural environment, and enhances the Tahoe experience for all. Four big initiatives will be the focus of the next three years, while being responsive to the needs of the community:

• Community vitality – community engagement + TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program
• Economic health and resiliency – destination revitalization + economic impact of visitation
• Destination stewardship – collaboration + human impact mitigation
• Organizational excellence – organization capacity and leadership + community impact and leadership

View the strategic plan below.

NTCA is proud to celebrate Marketing Director Kirstin Guinn, who was recognized with a Lake Spirit Award by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency on October 22. This annual award honors individuals who go above and beyond to protect and restore Lake Tahoe’s environment.

Kirstin was recognized for her leadership in destination stewardship, helping create a tourism economy that gives back while educating visitors, businesses, and residents about protecting Tahoe’s unique natural and cultural resources. Through her work, NTCA continues to build collaboration across the region, ensuring the lake remains clean, safe, and vibrant for generations to come.

“The Lake Spirit Awards celebrate the champions of Tahoe,” said TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan. “Kirstin’s innovative outreach shows how thoughtful action can have a lasting impact on the health of the lake.”

For more on this year’s Lake Spirit Awards, visit trpa.gov/awards.

In collaboration with area partners, including Supervisor Gustafson’s office and area nonprofits, including the Sierra Nevada Alliance, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, the Tahoe Resource Conservation District and others, the NTCA recently participated in an aerial tour of Tahoe’s roadless areas with a staffer from State Representative Kevin Kiley’s team.

The intention of the tour and subsequent roundtable discussion was to share local perspectives about how rescinding the Roadless Rule could impact our local communities, economy and environment.

Adopted in 2001 after one of the largest public engagement efforts in U.S. history, where over one million people commented when the original rule was being considered, the Roadless Rule currently protects 58 million acres nationwide, including 4.4 million acres in California.

The rule sought to protect areas that were identified as key for water quality, backcountry recreation experiences, and biodiversity by preventing new permanent road construction and reconstruction, with a few exceptions (e.g., for public safety, wildfire response, or certain access needs like mining claims with valid existing rights), and preventing commercial timber harvesting (large-scale or industrial logging), while still allowing limited tree cutting for wildfire fuel reduction, restoration, personal firewood/gathering, or when necessary to protect public health and safety.

This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a process to rescind the Roadless Rule. If adopted, this change would lift restrictions on new road construction and industrial logging in inventoried roadless areas.

Congressman Kiley’s district includes some of the most visited and beloved Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA) in the Sierra Nevada, spanning the Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Together, these landscapes protect lands vital to clean water, recreation, habitat, and wildfire resilience.

With that in mind, the tour highlighted key places that are central to both the region’s ecology and outdoor economy, including Castle Peak and Granite Chief, areas surrounding Desolation Wilderness and Freel Pass, terrain around the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, and east of the California border to the Mt. Rose Wilderness.

Last month, NTCA and North Tahoe Chamber leadership made public comments at the Liberty Utilities rate case hearings on August 21 and 23 to advocate for our local business community amid proposed rate hikes. Utility Judge Commissioners heard from 18 businesses and community speakers directly, and received a total of 323 written comments to the court docket demonstrating how the proposed rate hike will impact businesses, our economy, and our community. It’s not too late to submit a comment to the court docket to have your perspective heard. Learn more about the Liberty Utilities rate case and submit your comment below.

The North Tahoe Community Alliance is proud to share the release of its 2024–25 Annual Report, available in both English and Spanish. The report provides a comprehensive look at the many ways NTCA is working to strengthen our community, support local businesses, and responsibly manage tourism.

Inside, you’ll find highlights from across the organization’s key areas of work, including:

• TOT–TBID Dollars at Work: Stories of projects, programs, and initiatives made possible through community reinvestment.
• North Tahoe Chamber: How we’re supporting businesses and strengthening the local economy.
• Tourism Data: Insights into tourism’s impact on North Lake Tahoe and how it shapes our community.
• Advocacy Efforts: NTCA’s work to amplify local voices and advance regional priorities.
• Strategic Plan: A look ahead at the goals guiding our work through 2028.

Over the past year, NTCA has focused on maximizing the reinvestment of tourism-generated dollars directly back into our community. Since 2022, $76.5 million in direct and matching funds have supported initiatives that align with community priorities, from infrastructure and transportation to environmental stewardship and community vitality.

We invite you to explore the Annual Report and see firsthand the impact of this work. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for North Lake Tahoe.

The 2025-26 Annual Grant Cycle is accepting applications for projects that enhance community vitality, economic health, and environmental sustainability in North Lake Tahoe. Applicants have until September 5, 2025 to request TOT-TBID Dollars at Work funds for projects ready for immediate implementation upon approval. To date, $33.5 million in TOT-TBID Dollars at Work revenues have been directly invested in the North Tahoe community.

Annual Grant Cycle applicants are required to indicate which priority area(s) they will positively impact, including:

• Community Enhancement and Visitor Integration Infrastructure – community and visitor enhancement for the enjoyment of all.
• Environmental Stewardship and Mitigation of Tourism Impact – mitigation of the impacts of tourism on our community and environment, and enhancing and protecting environmental sustainability.
• Transportation – enhancing efficient transportation throughout the region.
• Workforce Housing – creating a sustainable community through making housing affordable.
• Trails – enhancing recreational trail use and connecting neighborhoods in non-automotive ways.

Grant applications will be accepted online until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. No applications will be accepted after this deadline. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in early 2026.

A series of workshops providing details on the structure of the Annual Grant Cycle and covering key sections of the application was offered to interested applicants in August. Topics included an introduction to the Annual Grant Cycle application and reporting requirements, a housing workshop to help direct housing applications, and a budget and finance workshop. In-person and hybrid office hours were also available for applicants to ask specific questions. Watch workshop recordings here.