Interview: Todd Polifka, president, Housing First Minnesota

Minnesota’s single-family homebuilding market turned conventional wisdom about the state of the economy on its head in 2020. While it may be a stretch to say that homebuilders are sorry to see 2020 go, residential contractors had a surprisingly strong year. Todd Polifka, owner of Custom One Homes in Woodbury and the newly installed 2021 president of Housing First Minnesota, a homebuilder association with more than 1,000 members, is optimistic that growth will continue in 2021. But he’s also quick to note that the industry faces daunting challenges in the year ahead. Headwinds range from the ongoing struggle to meet demand for more affordable new homes to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. Polifka, who has more than 20 years of construction experience, has served on Housing First Minnesota’s board for nearly 10 years. Prior to owning Custom One Homes, Polifka was a principal in Brush Masters Painting and Drywall. He gives back to the community through the Custom One Charities initiative. In the following interview, Polifka talks about his personal homebuilding journey, what drove homebuilding activity in 2020, opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and more.