Join us to learn more about the transformative projects funded through the
Community Vitality & Economic Health Investment Program
and see your TOT TBID Dollars At Work

October 17, 2023 | 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
North Tahoe Events Center in Kings Beach

As part of the NTCA’s new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program, 17 projects and programs that benefit residents, businesses, and visitors in the areas of workforce housing, transportation, trails, and tourism mitigation services were selected to receive three years of funding support through the Sponsorship grant program.

The NTCA intends to work with each applicant to outline contingencies, key performance indicators, metrics of success, and other outcomes and parameters that will be considered in subsequent years when determining the continuation of funding.

The allocation impact of the funding supports initiatives in alignment with community feedback and Sponsorship program criteria:

• Workforce housing: $7,900,000 (39%)
• Trail Transit Corridor: $5,700,000 (29%)
• Transportation: $5,242,558 (26%)
• Tourism impact: $1,185,000 (6%)

Proposals approved by the NTCA Board of Directors as recommended by the TBID Zone 1 and TBID Advisory committees to receive $2,515,558 in TBID funding include:

• BEBOT Beach cleaning robot 3-year deployment and youth/adult education, outreach and advocacy in North Lake Tahoe
  • Expanded beach cleaning to detect and remove debris including potentially harmful microplastics on North Lake Tahoe beaches.

• Lease to Locals Program
  • Providing cash incentives to homeowners who rent their homes seasonally or for one year to qualified local employees.

• Tahoe City Park & Ride winter operation (USFS 64 Acre parking lot snow removal)
  • Snow removal from areas at 64 Acres in Tahoe City to provide for 70 additional parking spaces for peak ski days from the start of January through mid-March, expanding the Park and Ride program from two to 26 service days.

• Tahoe Wildfire Preparedness Guide
  • Production of a 50,000-copy publication created by Tahoe Weekly that provides critical wildfire preparedness information for locals, visitors and vacation homeowners.

• Secline Beach enhancement project
  • Support planning and preliminary design for public recreation access upgrades and facility enhancements at Secline Beach to protect Lake Tahoe’s unique environment.

Proposals recommended to the Placer County Board of Supervisors by the NTCA Board of Directors, TOT and CAP committees for allocation of $17,512,000 in TOT funds include:

• North Tahoe Trail Segment 1
  • A 2.4-mile paved trail connecting the North Tahoe Regional Park in Tahoe Vista to Carnelian Bay.

• Tahoe City Downtown Access Improvements
  • Expansion of the Grove Street parking lot, including pedestrian access improvements for businesses and recreational amenities, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

• TCPUD multi-use trail system (trail segment reconstruction project)
  • Reconstruction of aged and failing infrastructure in the existing trail system to address pavement cracking, root intrusion, visibility issues, ADA compliance, trail transitions, shoulder erosion, and drainage.

• Resort Triangle transportation plan project component (SR89 & SR267 adaptive corridor management/transit priority)
  • Transit-only lane from Tahoe City to the Placer County line on SR 89, and on Northstar Drive to the Placer County line on SR 267. Enhancement of operations on steep grades of SR 267 and provision of a climbing lane specifically for trucks and transit vehicles.

• Pam Emmerich Memorial Pinedrop Trail reconstruction and extension
  • Make the 1.5-mile paved trail the primary North Tahoe Trail trailhead location serving as the main access point to Lake Tahoe and the Kings Beach/Tahoe Vista community, and connecting to the North Tahoe Regional Park.

• Kings Beach Western Approach Project
  • Converting intersections of SR28/SR267 and SR28/Brassie to a roundabout and enhancing landscaping throughout the project area.

• Workforce Housing Preservation Program
  • Provide financial grants to local workers and homebuyers for the purchase of a deed-restricted home. Grants are available for 16% of the home’s purchase price, up to $150,000.

• RTTP Project Component (TART Connect expanded service hours)
  • Extending service hours during non-peak season to provide a more equitable transportation option year-round.

• Chalet Blanc mixed-use achievable housing project, Tahoe City
  • Contributing to 16-20 deed-restricted achievable rental housing units in downtown Tahoe City with mixed-use space inclusive of a restaurant space, and gallery/studio/lecture hall.

• Dollar Creek Crossing
  • Contributing to the project development/entitlement and construction, including gap financing of up to 80 units of rental apartments, 20 units of for-sale homes, each with an attached junior accessory dwelling unit, with construction estimated in spring 2025 subject to entitlement and funding approvals.

Proposals recommended for a combination of TBID and TOT funding include:

• Resort Triangle transportation plan parking management program in Kings Beach
  • Funding to support capital costs, operations and maintenance, and enforcement of the parking management program in Kings Beach.

• Sierra Community House’s workforce housing advocacy and direct assistance program
  • Contribute funds to the Sierra Community House’s well-established Workforce Housing Advocacy and Direct Assistance program that provides grants for rent and utility assistance for eligible residents who are part of the local workforce.

The four committees convened by the NTCA reviewed the project applications and determined which investment opportunities to sponsor. The NTCA Board of Directors approved the committee recommendations for TBID-funded investment opportunities and recommended TOT-funded investment opportunities to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for their consideration and approval at their October 17 meeting.

One of North Lake Tahoe’s “best-kept secrets” is the power of its Visitor Information Centers. Over the last year alone, Visitor Information Center staff served over 50,000 visitors and provided over 39,000 referrals to area businesses.

Area business referrals were up 22% from the previous fiscal year, meaning that our Visitor Information Center staff referred visitors to local businesses over 110 times per day! Your TOT-TBID dollars are at work and we are proud to support the business community through these referrals.

Learn More about the Visitor Information Center here.

Revenues generated by local businesses and North Lake Tahoe visitors continue to impact the community positively. Over $2.5M in funds generated by Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (NLT-TBID) were allocated in the second half of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, to initiatives that are making progress on workforce housing, regional transportation, economic vitality, trails, recreation, and tourism mitigation.

“Because we now have access to two local funding sources, our community has the ability to reinvest in initiatives that our residents, businesses, and visitors need to thrive,” said Tony Karwowski, NTCA president and CEO. “Implementation of the NTCA’s new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program also allows us to more easily vet and support projects, programs, and services with TOT and TBID revenues to improve quality of life.”

The North Tahoe Community Alliance recently launched a Sponsorship and Multi-year Funding Program as part of the new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program and will roll out an Annual Grant Program to support projects, programs, and services that are suited for annual funding this fall. The program provides a framework to evaluate projects, programs, and services that TBID and TOT funds generated in the community will be used to support.

A complete NTCA Annual Report will be released in Fall 2023, however, what follows are some of the initiatives that have received funding during the second half of the fiscal year (January through June 2023):

Key Initiatives Supported by the TBID

Over $1.2M in TBID revenues have been allocated to:

• Incubation of the Housing Hub, a new nonprofit organization being formed to simplify and streamline the process and time it takes to create workforce housing
• Support for pre-development efforts related to the Tahoe City Downtown Access Improvements that will include parking and traffic flow enhancements
• Local event sponsorship and annual partnership funding to support marketing and promotion of 2023 events (view the complete list of events that received funding here)
• Sponsorship of the Lake Tahoe Ambassador program, which engages local youth to spread the word about environmental stewardship at highly impacted beaches and trailheads through the peak summer months
• Marketing campaigns that are focused on stewardship education and responsible travel for both residents and visitors; this includes efforts with regional event planners to highlight and encourage stewardship among event attendees
• Funding of the important work conducted by the Tahoe City Downtown Association and the North Tahoe Business Association in support of local businesses, plus select programs such as summer flower baskets and winter downtown lighting
• Sponsorship of bike valet services at local events to encourage stewardship and human-powered transportation

Key Initiatives Supported by TOT

A total of $1.38M was approved by Placer County’s Board of Supervisors, as recommended by the NTCA Board of Directors:

• Continuation of the free, on-demand microtransit service that is being offered year-round through TART Connect
• Funding in support of the North Lake Tahoe Express Airport Shuttle
• Continued funding of the Placemate program that incentivizes vacation homeowners to rent long-term to the local workforce

Funds generated by TBID assessments are managed by the NTCA with oversight from the NTCA Board of Directors and committees comprised of representatives from assessed businesses. Annual TBID revenues are used for responsible travel and stewardship education, efforts to offset tourism impacts, bolster a year-round economy, and support local businesses.

Funds generated by overnight visitors (TOT) are managed by Placer County. The Capital Projects Advisory (CAP) committee, co-convened by the NTCA and Placer County, the TOT committee, and the NTCA Board of Directors make recommendations to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for the use of TOT that is generated in eastern Placer County to contribute to projects and quality of life services like workforce housing, traffic reduction and transportation initiatives, bike paths and trails, and more. 

Additional TOT funds that previously funded the NTCA’s operations and tourism marketing efforts were “turned back” to Placer County when the TBID was implemented. Those turned-back funds are now being used to support workforce housing and transportation initiatives as recommended by the NTCA Board of Directors and the TOT committee.

Learn more about the TBID here.

The North Tahoe Community Alliance (NTCA) has launched the first phase of its new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program with a call for Letters of Interest (LOI) for sponsorship requiring multi-year investment. The Sponsorship and Multi-Year Investment Program will provide up to $7.2 million in funding for priority projects, programs, and services that require ongoing financial support over the coming three years. Funds will come from Transient Occupancy Tax generated in Eastern Placer County and assessments from the North Lake Tahoe Tourism Business Improvement District (NLT-TBID).

Created to reinvest funds generated locally in support of economic health, community vitality, and environmental stewardship that benefits residents, businesses, and visitors, the NTCA’s Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program will consist of four program elements:  Sponsorship and Multi-Year Investment Program, Annual Grant Program, Out of Cycle Investments and a Reserve Fund. The Sponsorship and Multi-Year Program application process is open and will accept submissions until June 15. The Annual Grant Program cycle will open for applications in the fall, and the Out of Cycle Investment process will be offered on an as-needed basis with program details to come for both.

Eligible submissions must fit within one of several categories, including:

• Workforce housing
• Economic development 
• Transportation
• Sustainability
• Mitigation of tourism impacts
• Trails

“The launch of the Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program is exciting for a number of reasons. It provides a framework to evaluate projects, programs, and services that TBID and TOT funds generated in our community will be used to support, and it officially kicks off the process by which businesses, nonprofits, regional agencies and others can request funding,” said Tony Karwowski, NTCA president and CEO. “The program also serves as a way to support the destination stewardship responsibilities the NTCA has taken on. We are excited to start receiving submissions and to support investment opportunities that benefit our residents, businesses and visitors.”

Committees convened by the NTCA including the TBID Advisory, TBID Zone 1, TOT committee, and the CAP committee, which is jointly convened by Placer County, will review the LOIs and determine which investment opportunities to consider for sponsorship. The NTCA Board of Directors will consider committee recommendations before taking final action on TBID-funded investment opportunities. They will also recommend TOT-funded investment opportunities to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for their consideration and approval.

“The NTCA’s new Community Vitality and Economic Health Investment Program will help streamline the process by which funding requests are evaluated against our region’s strategic initiatives,” said Cindy Gustafson, Placer County District 5 Supervisor. “I’m pleased that the NTCA has reached this milestone and excited to see the quality of life-enhancing projects, programs and services that will come from this in support of what our residents, businesses and visitors in Eastern Placer County need.”

All proposals must meet minimum program criteria with specific qualifications that include community vitality, economic health, environmental stewardship, budget, organizational capacity, investment readiness and match requirements.

Applicants have until June 15, 2023 to complete the LOI, including a summary, budget, matching funds, schedule, and measures of success as defined by the NTCA and implementing agency.

A hybrid workshop will be held on Friday, May 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach, and online via Zoom for interested applicants to ask questions and learn more about the process and timeline of the grant cycle. Business owners, nonprofits, agencies, and the general public are encouraged to attend and learn more about qualification and applying for sponsorship.

Learn more about the Sponsorship and Multi-Year Investment Program or submit an application for funding consideration here.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

As TBID and Chamber members, NTCA is offering you a photography opportunity to promote your business and to further the economic health of our business community.

This program offers the following:

• 3 images of your business shot by a professional photographer
• 1-hour timeslot, scheduled and confirmed in advance
• Full rights in perpetuity to the images, shared with the NTCA and Go Tahoe North

We recommend an exterior shot, an interior shot, and a shot of employees and customers interacting. You can use employees, friends, family, etc. as models. However, if your needs are different, we will accommodate you.

To set up your appointment, please contact [email protected].

View as pdf: North Lake Tahoe Chamber Photography Program