Visitor dollars are coming back home to North Lake Tahoe, with more than $6 million approved and recommended for projects meant to improve everyday life for homes, businesses, and people who spend time in the region.
Through the TOT TBID Dollars at Work program’s annual grant cycle, the North Tahoe Community Alliance board of directors approved and recommended tourism-generated funding for 12 projects and programs.
The focus is on community vitality and quality of life, with an eye on what people experience day to day.
“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 One committees, the board approved spending up to $688,935 in TBID funds.
Those dollars come from both day visitors and overnight visitors through purchases at activity providers, restaurants, and retailers. By rule, TBID funds must directly benefit the businesses paying the assessment.
Five projects were approved for TBID support, touching on workforce needs, environmental stewardship, and access to information:
- Workforce Strengthening Childcare and Youth Development Programs through the Boys and Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe, $250,000
- Eastern Placer Employer Housing Concierge and One Stop Housing Resource Hub through the Truckee Tahoe Workforce Housing Agency, $95,060
- Tahoe Wood strategy development for local wood based business opportunities through the Tahoe Prosperity Center, $62,685
- The seventy two mile deep clean of Lake Tahoe through Clean Up The Lake, $110,787
- Public access to real-time lake conditions and water quality along the Placer County shoreline through UC Davis TERC, $150,403
The board also voted to support a recommendation to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for up to $5,451,815 in transient occupancy tax funds. Those dollars are generated by overnight visitors staying in hotels or short-term rentals.
The board of supervisors is expected to review that recommendation in February 2026. The seven projects under consideration include housing advocacy, transportation pilots, recreation, and trail improvements:
- Sierra Community House workforce housing advocacy and direct assistance program, $350,000
- Eastern Placer County Launchpad Program, $3,000,000
- Tahoe City events park and ride pilot, $92,840
- Scotty Lapp Memorial Skatepark in Tahoe City, $400,000
- Public art installation in the North Tahoe Regional Park, $65,000
- TCPUD Dianne Feinstein West Shore Tahoe Trail reconstruction project, segment one, $1,500,000
- North Tahoe Trail expansion project, $43,975
Altogether, the TOT TBID Dollars at Work program has reinvested more than $40 million into 58 projects and programs aimed at supporting a vibrant year-round economy in North Lake Tahoe.
More information about the program is available through the North Tahoe Community Alliance.
