Tourism-generated funding is supporting initiatives aimed at improving the experience for North Lake Tahoe residents, businesses and visitors

As part of the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program’s Annual Grant Cycle, the NTCA Board of Directors recently approved and recommended a total of over $6 million in tourism-generated funding for 12 projects and programs focused on enhancing community vitality and improving quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors.

“The response to the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work Annual Grant Cycle was strong this year, with 39 projects aligned with community-identified funding categories submitted for consideration,” said Tony Karwowski, NTCA president and CEO. “The projects that were approved and recommended for funding were selected by a broad coalition of local residents who volunteer their time on committees convened by the NTCA because they have the potential to have a positive impact on the day-to-day experience for everyone in North Lake Tahoe.”

At the recommendation of the TBID Advisory and Zone 1 committees, the NTCA Board of Directors approved up to $688,935 in TBID funds. Through the TBID, both day and overnight visitors contribute to North Lake Tahoe’s vitality by spending at activity providers, restaurants, and retailers. TBID funds must be spent on programs and activities that directly benefit the businesses paying the assessment.

The five projects to receive TBID funding support include initiatives that contribute to community vitality, economic health and environmental stewardship:

• Workforce-Strengthening Childcare & Youth Development Programs (Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe) – $250,000
• Eastern Placer Employer Housing Concierge & One-Stop Housing Resource Hub (Truckee-Tahoe Workforce Housing Agency) – $95,060
• Tahoe Wood: Strategy Development for Local Wood-Based Business Opportunities (Tahoe Prosperity Center) – $62,685
• The 72-Mile Deep Clean of Lake Tahoe (Clean Up The Lake) – $110,787
• Providing Public Access to Lake Tahoe Real-Time Conditions and Water Quality Along the Placer County Shoreline (UC Davis TERC) – $150,403

The Placer County Board of Supervisors recently approved over $5M in TOT funding (generated by overnight visitors who stay in local hotels or short-term rentals) for seven projects recommended by the TOT Advisory Committee and the NTCA Board of Directors through the NTCA’s TOT-TBID Dollars at Work Annual Grant Cycle:

• Sierra Community House’s Workforce Housing Advocacy and Direct Assistance Program (Sierra Community House) – $350,000
• Eastern Placer County Launchpad Program (Placer County) – $3,000,000
• Tahoe City Events Park and Ride Pilot (TNT-TMA) – $92,840
• Scotty Lapp Memorial Skatepark in Tahoe City (Scotty Lapp Foundation) – $400,000
• Public Art Installation in the North Tahoe Regional Park (NTPUD) – $65,000
• TCPUD Dianne Feinstein West Shore Tahoe Trail Reconstruction Project, Segment 1 (TCPUD) – $1,500,000
• North Tahoe Trail Expansion Project (High Fives Foundation) – $43,975

In total, the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program has reinvested over $40 million in tourism-generated funding in support of 58 projects and programs that support the community and a vibrant, year-round economy in North Lake Tahoe.

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.

February First Tuesday Breakfast Club:

February 3, 2026
Redevelopment Projects in North Tahoe

Agenda:

• Community Stump Speeches
• Introduction to Breakfast Club and round robin introductions
• Feature presentations
  • Stephanie Holloway, Placer County
  • Amy Ohran, Palisades Tahoe
  • Marie Murphy or Vinton Hawkins, Boatworks
  • Andy Buckley, Homewood
  • Alyssa Czaban, Tahoe XC Lodge Project
• Q&A
• Supervisor Gustafson, Placer County
• Agency Updates

Click the link below to join at 7 am on Tuesday, February 3.

The North Tahoe Community Alliance is hiring for the Kings Beach District Manager and Business Development Manager positions, who will directly support and advance the work of the North Tahoe Chamber and our local business community. These positions will play a key role in strengthening economic vitality, advocacy, and community vibrancy across North Lake Tahoe. If you’re passionate about collaboration and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to explore these opportunities and share them with your networks.

By Tony Karwowski

Stewardship isn’t an abstract idea in Lake Tahoe—it’s a vital part of caring for this incredible place. Every day, those of us who live, work, and build businesses here feel the responsibilities and pressures that come with caring for a world-renowned destination we call home. 

We share the same roads, trails, beaches, waters, and forests with visitors—many of whom also have a deep appreciation of this place. Ultimately, I believe we all want the same thing: to ensure Lake Tahoe remains healthy, thriving, and accessible for generations to come. That’s why I am honored to step into the role of co-chair of the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council.

This council was created because the region required better collaboration between jurisdictions, agencies, the business sector, and other community organizations. It reflects a simple truth: the future of Tahoe depends on active collaboration across the boundaries we have ourselves created. We need a unified vision backed by shared accountability, aligned outcomes, and the collective will to take action.

The Destination Stewardship Plan we adopted together offers exactly that. It lays out a roadmap for managing Tahoe as a place to live as much as a place to visit. It recognizes that our environment and our economy do not exist in separate lanes, and that community wellbeing is central to everything we hope to accomplish.

One of the initiatives the over 30 partners of the Destination Stewardship Council are actively collaborating on to help encourage stewardship of Tahoe is the “Destination Champion” program. Developed as an online training program for community members and local professionals and front line employees, when it launches, it will provide effective strategies for teaching visitors about our region’s unique culture and how to encourage people to help care for and protect what makes Tahoe and Truckee special.

It is through our collaborative efforts that progress is being made throughout the region. Whether individual, or sometimes joint organizational initiatives, those aligned with Destination Stewardship Plan goals are advancing our collective efforts and making true the popular proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

The opportunities ahead for Tahoe—expanding environmental stewardship, enhancing shared transportation options, workforce retention—do not recognize county lines or organizational boundaries. They require a coordinated response. The council brings together public agencies, nonprofits, businesses, tribal partners, and local representatives from around the basin to set priorities and move from discussion to action.

As co-chair alongside Daniel Cressy from the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, and Nettie Pardue the Destination Stewardship Council’s Managing Director, our focus will continue to be deepening our alignment across the region and ensuring that we are all working in the same direction, toward the same goals.

I also want to thank Carol Chaplin, CEO of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, for leading the way as one of the first co-chairs of the Council. Together with Daniel Cressy, the Executive Council and Council members, her leadership has set a path forward for us to build upon in the future.  

I am continually inspired by the leadership and commitment around the Council table—these are people and organizations who care deeply about this place and their role in helping to take care of it. Lake Tahoe is extraordinary, and this council established a framework, the partnerships, and the shared resolve we need to move forward together.

– Tony Karwowski is president and CEO of the North Tahoe Community Alliance

As we turn the page on another year, it’s a natural moment to pause, reflect, and take stock of how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed.

For me, this year-end reflection carries particular meaning for our community. It marks five years since the launch of the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (NLT-TBID), an initiative that didn’t just change how we fund destination stewardship efforts in our region—it fundamentally reshaped what has become the North Tahoe Community Alliance (NTCA) and how we serve our community.

When the TBID was formed, NTCA was essentially built from the ground up. We transitioned from a traditional destination marketing organization into a modern destination stewardship organization—one focused not just on marketing, but on reinvesting tourism-generated funding locally to improve quality of life and address the real challenges that face our unique community, while continuing to ensure North Lake Tahoe remains a desirable place to live, work, and visit.

That transformation was not simple, and it was not fast. It required the development of new governance and community-focused priorities, and new systems to put tourism-generated funding to work. It also included the creation of new committees that allow for local, community-led decision-making, establishing new working relationships with partners like Placer County, and a clear commitment to transparency and measurable outcomes.

Looking back over the last five years, I’m incredibly proud of what that effort has delivered.

Because of the TBID, local businesses chose to invest in our community—and those dollars, to the tune of over $40 million, have gone directly back into North Lake Tahoe. From transportation solutions and workforce housing investments, to trail improvements, litter management and other environmental stewardship, visitor education, and community vitality projects, TBID funds have helped address long-standing issues while laying the groundwork for a more resilient future.

Perhaps just as important as the projects themselves has been the shift in mindset. The TBID allowed North Lake Tahoe to move beyond simply promoting visitation and toward actively managing it—reinvesting in infrastructure that reduces peak-day congestion, encourages responsible recreation, encourages shoulder-season travel, and supports our community year-round.

That evolution has been guided by collaboration. NTCA does not do this work alone. Our success is tied to strong partnerships with local businesses, residents, agencies, nonprofits, and regional leaders. Together, we’ve embraced the idea that destination stewardship is shared work—and that long-term success depends on balancing economic vitality with environmental health and community wellbeing.

This year, the support for renewing the NLT-TBID reinforced just how strongly our community believes in this approach. In total, 70.6% of revenue-weighted petition signatures were in favor, representing 98 businesses in the assessment area.

Renewal support is not just a vote of confidence in the NTCA—it’s an endorsement of local control, accountability, and reinvestment. It says that our business community sees value in working collectively and recognizes the benefits of coordinated solutions, and that North Lake Tahoe is committed to shaping its own future.  

As we look ahead, that support gives us both momentum and responsibility.

The next chapter of the TBID is about building on a strong foundation. It’s about continuing to invest in transportation and workforce housing solutions, and deepening our commitment to environmental stewardship, while supporting local businesses and protecting the very qualities that make North Lake Tahoe special. It’s also about expanding our collaboration with local, state, and national partners by advocating for the changes and support necessary to bring meaningful projects and programs to life.

Most importantly, it’s about staying responsive—to changing conditions, emerging challenges, and the voices of our community.

The past five years have shown what’s possible when we come together with a shared vision and the tools to act on it. As we step into a new year, I’m optimistic, energized, and deeply grateful—for the trust placed in the NTCA team, for the partnership of our community, and for the opportunity to keep doing this work on behalf of North Lake Tahoe.

— Tony Karwowski, president and CEO, North Tahoe Community Alliance

By Adam Wilson, North Tahoe Community Alliance chief operating officer

Over the past year, the North Tahoe Community Alliance (NTCA) and the North Tahoe Chamber partnered with Downtown Strategies to take a focused look at how we can strengthen the town centers of Kings Beach and Tahoe City through practical actions that build momentum and support long-term success. 

Together, we’ve developed a two-year strategic action plan designed to accelerate existing revitalization efforts, align partners around a shared vision, and identify near-term projects that can make a meaningful difference quickly. This work is rooted in local input, market realities, and the belief that small, well-executed wins lead to lasting change. 

Built with Community, Designed for Action

The revitalization study was shaped through an in-market discovery process that included stakeholder workshops with business and property owners, residents, and community leaders. Their insights helped identify strategies that are asset-based, market-driven, and ready to implement. 

Four Focus Areas Guiding the Work

The action plan is organized around four interconnected focus areas:

• Policy & Administration: Creating clearer, more efficient pathways for high-value businesses and development, including overlay districts tailored to each community and a regional “Get to Yes” approach to reduce barriers and speed up decision-making.
  
• Design: Enhancing vibrancy through low-cost, high-impact improvements like lighting, public art, banners, and visual activations that strengthen a sense of place and encourage people to spend more time in our downtown areas.
  
• Tourism & Promotion: Focusing on experiences that create better connections—not more people—by intentionally connecting events, businesses, and seasonal offerings to support a balanced, year-round economy.
  
• Economic Vitality: Capturing more local spending through strategies like a semi-permanent retail village in Kings Beach, beach-focused service expansions, and new partnerships that support entrepreneurs and small businesses.

From Strategy to Implementation

Revitalization only works if it moves from planning to action. That’s why implementation is structured around a North Shore Core Team, along with dedicated action teams for Kings Beach and Tahoe City, to keep projects moving forward and coordinated across partners. 

The goal is straightforward: create early wins, build confidence, and maintain momentum toward larger, long-term improvements that benefit the entire community. Things like seasonal workforce sharing, cross-promotional packages, and collaborative purchasing.

What This Means for Residents and Businesses

For residents, this work is about more vibrant, welcoming town centers that reflect local character, support year-round livability, and improve everyday experiences—not just during peak visitor seasons.

For businesses, the revitalization plan focuses on:

• Lowering barriers to entry and expansion
• Creating more foot traffic and longer stays
• Supporting collaboration instead of competition
• Keeping more visitor dollars circulating locally

Most importantly, this is not a top-down effort. Success depends on continued community involvement, shared ownership, and a willingness to test ideas, learn, and adapt. Community members are encouraged to join an Action Team, promote positive progress, and support initiatives that create a spark and help build momentum in our community. An action team interest meeting will be held on January 15 at 1:30 p.m. at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach. Participants can also join via Zoom, using the information provided below.

Meeting ID: 840 7588 2587
Passcode: 927945

Revitalization doesn’t happen all at once—but when short-term actions create a spark, momentum builds that can lead to broader change. That’s the path we’re on together in North Lake Tahoe.

The North Tahoe business community’s pursuit of a 10-year renewal of the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (NLT-TBID) has been achieved with the Placer County Board of Supervisors’ unanimous approval of the initiative at their December 9 meeting. This milestone would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of assessed local businesses, of which 70.6% of revenue-weighted petition signatures were in favor, representing 98 businesses in the assessment area.

The TBID’s renewal will allow the North Tahoe community to build on the progress and success this substantial funding source has provided for the region. Created to provide—for the first time—a way for both day and overnight visitors to contribute to the region’s vitality, the TBID also provides a way for community members, business owners, and leaders serving on NTCA committees to engage in local decision-making related to the reinvestment of the roughly $16 million of TBID and TOT generated by tourism annually.

Because of the TBID, over $40 million in TOT-TBID Dollars at Work direct revenues have been invested in alignment with the community’s priorities since 2022. With the business community’s decision to renew the TBID, it ensures tourism will continue to benefit not only the assessed businesses and the local workforce, but everyone who lives, works, and plays in North Lake Tahoe – to the tune of roughly $160 million over the next 10 years.

Additionally, the TBID frees up the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)  that previously  funded tourism marketing efforts to instead support workforce housing and transportation projects and programs. If the TBID hadn’t been renewed, there would be significantly less funding available than currently exists to support housing, transportation, and  local businesses.

These two funding sources (TBID and TOT), which collectively total approximately $16 million annually, are being directed toward projects designed to sustainably support businesses year-round, aid the local workforce, and offer a better experience for everyone in North Lake Tahoe. This includes investments in economic health and resiliency, community vitality, and destination stewardship.

Because of the TBID, the committees convened by the NTCA have funded projects like those recently supported through the 2025-26 Annual Grant Cycle. At their December meeting, the NTCA Board of Directors approved expenditures of up to $668,935 in TBID and Zone 1 funding to support projects including workforc- strengthening childcare and youth development programs provided by the North Lake Tahoe Boys & Girls Club, the Eastern Placer Employer Housing Concierge, a one-stop housing resources hub, and more.

The NTCA Board also recommended up to $5,451,815 in TOT fund allocations to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for approval at their February 2026 meeting. If approved, those funds will support Sierra Community House’s Workforce Housing Advocacy and Direct Assistance Program, Eastern Placer County Launchpad, Tahoe City Events Park and Ride Pilot, trail reconstruction and expansion projects, and more.

To date, because of the TBID, $40,204,262 in direct funding through the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program has supported 58 projects and programs that benefit the North Lake Tahoe community. 

Thank you to every business that contributed to the TBID renewal effort. Your partnership and commitment has and will continue to make meaningful, lasting impacts in the region we all love.

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!