Park City Community Foundation helps address our area’s most pressing challenges, and affordability is one of the issues most deeply shaping the future of our community and local workforce. Stories like Katrina’s show why affordable and attainable housing matter; not in theory, but in real life.
On any given day at the Park City Library, you’ll find families gathered around for Storytime and a welcoming presence at the center of it all: Miss Katrina Kmak.
Katrina is a beloved librarian, community theater performer, and a steady, joyful presence in the lives of so many locals. Her husband, John Burdick, is also a community staple, whether it’s on the air at KPCW or performing at the Egyptian Theater. Together, they are raising their son, Jack, who is thriving in a Park City School District elementary school. They are the kind of family that makes Park City feel like home, and affordable housing has helped ensure they can continue calling it home.
John moved to Park City just before the 2002 Olympics. He ended up staying and buying a small condo in town. Katrina arrived later, originally from Wisconsin by way of Alaska, where she worked in dinner theater at Denali National Park. She moved to Park City with friends “just for a ski season” after landing a job at Deer Valley and never left.
Katrina and John met doing the Follies, in what Katrina lovingly describes as a “showmance” that turned into real life. Over time, they built careers, friendships, and a deep connection to the local community.
When Jack was born, their small condo started to feel tight. They made it work and loved their home, but as Jack grew, they knew they needed more space to stay long-term.
Like many families, Katrina and John found the affordable housing process intimidating. “It’s like health insurance or any big financial decision. It feels overwhelming,” Katrina says. It took time before they finally applied and got on the housing list.
Then came years of waiting, reapplying, and near-misses. At one point, their income shifted them from “affordable” to “attainable” housing, something Katrina now encourages others not to overlook. “So many people don’t realize they qualify,” she says. “I always tell people: just put in the application. That’s most of the battle.”
After nearly three years of applying, the moment finally came. While visiting family during the holidays following the loss of both Katrina’s parents, an email arrived offering them a single-family attainable home. Standing on the staircase of her childhood home, Katrina just knew. “This is our house,” she told her family, showing them the pictures of the home.
They moved quickly and soon found themselves in a home that finally fit their life.
Today, Katrina’s family lives in a vibrant neighborhood filled with friends, shared spaces, and kids riding bikes. Jack celebrated his birthday at the neighborhood clubhouse. Family and friends can visit and stay. Life feels more spacious, physically and emotionally.
“The quality of our life is just so much better,” Katrina says. “Not that it was bad before, but this is incredible.”
Their home still came at a significant cost, even as attainable housing. But the stability it provides has allowed them to put down roots, plan for the future, and stay deeply engaged in the community they love.
Through her work at the library, Katrina sees firsthand how housing impacts families. Over the years, she has watched many young families leave Park City, not because they wanted to, but because they couldn’t afford to stay. Others move farther out, juggling long commutes, childcare challenges, and fractured community ties.
“Our schools are amazing,” Katrina says, noting how important it is that Jack can attend and thrive in local schools. “But housing is the foundation. Without it, everything else becomes harder.”
Katrina also speaks candidly about the skepticism around affordable housing and new development. Her response is simple: affordable and attainable housing is for people you already know and rely, such as librarians, radio hosts, teachers, servers, and childcare providers.
“Living here and working here creates a level of investment and buy-in that’s incredibly valuable for the community,” Katrina said. “When your workforce can live where they serve, everything functions better. People build relationships and have a deeper understanding of the community’s needs.”
Investing in affordable and attainable housing delivers real community and economic benefits. According to a 2024 report by Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.,100 deed-restricted housing units would provide:
Outside of the economic and social benefits, affordable housing is also about keeping families rooted, preserving community connections, and ensuring that the people who make Park City and Summit County special can continue to call it home. Because when families like Katrina’s can stay, the entire community is stronger for it.
Posted in: Affordable Housing
Tagged: affordable housing