When the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) was renewed by the business community for another 10 years, the Management District Plan (MDP) detailing how the approximately $6.5M in funds generated by the assessment are spent was also updated. The intention was to simplify and more clearly communicate how TBID revenues are allocated to benefit the businesses that pay them. To achieve that, new budget categories were established in the MDP for 2026-2036.

Aligned with community priorities, the TBID budget supports economic health and resiliency (47%), community vitality (22%), environmental stewardship (10%), and Zone 1 (lakeside communities) specific services (15%), with 4% held in contingency, and 2% allocated to Placer County for collection administration fees.

Collectively, the projects and programs making tangible progress within these categories, along with the work to advance these efforts by the North Tahoe Community Alliance, the North Tahoe Chamber, and Lake Tahoe Travel, are all funded by the TBID. Our staff is shared to maximize efficiency, with each workstream playing a different role while working toward the same goals.

Here’s how the TBID budget categories are organized:

Economic Health and Resiliency (47%)

Prioritized to receive the largest portion of funding, economic health and resiliency-focused initiatives include infrastructure, programs, and services that support a thriving business environment. It also means leveraging tourism-generated funding to strengthen North Lake Tahoe’s economy, broaden efforts to protect the environment, and support sustainable tourism that benefits our community’s well-being.

Community Vitality (22%)

To drive economic benefit to assessed businesses, efforts focused on community vitality include those designed to improve accessibility and enhance both the experience and North Lake Tahoe’s appeal.

Work within this category includes increased connection and collaboration amongst our community and investment in impactful programs that address our community’s priorities. Examples include efforts to implement workforce development strategies, develop and expand transportation and transit programs, and invest in infrastructure improvements that enhance North Lake Tahoe’s competitive position to attract visitors to assessed businesses.

Environmental Stewardship (10%)

As a community, we’re focused on environmental stewardship and teaching everyone how to help take care of Tahoe. The TBID supports efforts to encourage sustainable visitation by funding initiatives like additional trash collection during peak seasons at popular locations, pedestrian crossing management to reduce traffic congestion, and snow removal on year-round trails. It also supports efforts to proactively educate visitors on sustainable tourism tenets before they arrive and when they’re here.

Zone 1 Specific Services (15%)

Funds raised by the additional 1% levied on Zone 1 (lakeside) lodging businesses are allocated to activities that can include any services detailed in the other service categories (economic health and resiliency, community vitality, and environmental stewardship).

Finally, up to 2% of the annual TBID budget is paid to Placer County for administration of the collection of TBID, and a contingency holds a small percentage of the annual budget in reserve for higher than anticipated program costs, if any.

Want to learn more? Read the Management District Plan here.

The North Tahoe Community Alliance is seeking candidates for a newly combined TBID Advisory Committee — a unique opportunity to directly influence how Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) funds are invested in the community. This unified committee brings together the former TBID Advisory and Zone 1 Committees to streamline governance, reduce duplication, and strengthen how local business assessments support the region. The application period is open from April 2 through May 2.

As a committee member, you will serve as a voice for the business community, helping guide investments that support economic health and resiliency, community vitality, and environmental stewardship. This includes projects and programs such as transportation, workforce housing, stewardship initiatives, community enhancements, and visitor-serving infrastructure. The committee is comprised of voting seats held by TBID-assessed businesses, along with a limited number of non-voting advisory seats to incorporate broader community perspectives. Funding recommendations are made to the NTCA Board of Directors, who retain final authority over TBID expenditures.

This is an opportunity to engage in local governance, make meaningful recommendations, and help shape the future of North Lake Tahoe.

The North Tahoe Community Alliance, the North Tahoe Chamber, and Lake Tahoe Travel exist to support and strengthen the North Lake Tahoe community through a unique collaborative ecosystem where the three pathways work together under a single strategic plan while maintaining distinct areas of focus.

How It Works

While each pathway has its own work plan and specialized services, they share staff, resources, and strategic alignment to maximize efficiency and impact. 

• NTCA manages and reinvests Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) funds and partners with Placer County to recommend Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) investments through the TOT-TBID Dollars At Work grant cycle. These funds support community projects including trails, transportation, workforce housing, community enhancement, and environmental stewardship and tourism impact mitigation. This program is a key component of NTCA’s community vitality strategic initiative.
• The North Tahoe Chamber is funded entirely by TBID dollars and focuses on supporting local businesses through advocacy, events, and business-driven programming that strengthens workforce development. The Chamber also administers event funding and supports downtown revitalization efforts — all aligned with NTCA’s Economic Health & Resiliency strategic initiative.
• Lake Tahoe Travel is fully funded by TBID dollars and leads destination marketing efforts that promote responsible, sustainable tourism. By attracting visitors who align with community values and stewardship principles, this work supports local businesses and contributes to North Tahoe’s overall economic health and community vitality.
• Together, NTCA, the Chamber, and Lake Tahoe Travel intersect across strategic priorities — from Destination Stewardship to Organizational Excellence — creating a coordinated ecosystem that maximizes community impact.

Why This Matters

This collaborative approach allows a singular organizational structure—one staff team, one overarching strategy—to deliver a wide range of services to the community. Each pathway focuses on what it does best, while shared planning, communication, and resource coordination reduce duplication and improve efficiency.

Understanding the Impact

The ecosystem diagram highlights each pathway’s areas of focus and shows how collaborative efforts drive community impact.

Through this coordinated model, North Tahoe can align funding, programming, and promotion to support residents, businesses, and a vibrant year-round economy—demonstrating the power of collaboration in action.

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
• Lake Tahoe Conditions and Water Quality (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
• Sawtooth 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.

NTCA President and CEO Tony Karwowski’s op-ed was recently featured in Moonshine Ink.

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.

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.

As our community is well aware, CalTrans’ planned road construction projects in Tahoe City are underway. Over the past few weeks, during the midst of our region’s busy summer season, parking availability through the downtown corridor was essentially unavailable and negatively impacting our community.

To address the multitude of impacts, the NTCA and Supervisor Gustafson co-convened a meeting with CalTrans officials, county staff, and Assembly member Hadwick’s staff to share our business community’s concerns and the economic impacts experienced by our business community during mid-summer.

As a result of the meeting, cones restricting parking throughout Tahoe City were immediately removed, returning parking to normal. In addition, CalTrans, in coordination with their sub contractor, agreed to adjust the timing of the work underway in an effort to reduce impacts to area businesses and our community for the remainder of the summer.

As a direct result of this coordinated advocacy, the revised CalTrans work schedule now includes:

• Work will resume in Tahoe City the week of August 17

• Night work only will occur through the end of August, with project stages that require daytime work to occur after Labor Day

• The Wye project is being placed on hold until after the Fanny Bridge project is complete given the complexities of that project and potential impacts to the wye

The collaboration among organizations and our elected officials to achieve these results is a testament to the great work that can be achieved together on behalf of our businesses and community.

Looking Ahead

To influence the timing of future projects and plan in advance for any potential impacts, the collective group inquired about the best way to know in advance what projects are planned.

CalTrans representatives confirmed that an environmental review process occurs for each project they implement. The NTCA plans to monitor the CalTrans projects coming forward for environmental review in our region. The public comment period during that process will be used as an opportunity to convene discussions, with the intention of providing feedback on economic and other impacts planned projects may have on our community (i.e. how projects affect school bus delays, etc.).

Ad space for the Official North Lake Tahoe Visitor Guide is available now! The Guide is distributed throughout North Tahoe, Reno, and Carson City and has an online presence in English and Spanish on www.gotahoenorth.com. This magazine highlights year-round experiences and businesses and promotes sustainability throughout the North Lake Tahoe region. 

North Tahoe Chamber members will receive $200 off the ad price. The deadline to reserve ad space is April 1.