News and Events

Howard Droker Talks about Early 1900s Seattle Houseboats.

All Photos by Caroline Johnston

An enthusiastic crowd of houseboaters from around Lake Union and Portage Bay gathered April 28th at the Puget Sound Yacht Club for the 49th Annual FHA meeting.

Members began arriving about 615pm to enjoy wine, a varied selection of foods and conversation. There was plenty to talk about. Only a day earlier the community learned the state had passed a bill protecting the houseboat community.  Jamie Pederson, District 43 Representative, one of the legislators who was the main sponsor of the bill, dropped in to join in the celebration. And, Howard Droker, the meeting's main speaker arrived early to chat with member and autograph copies of his book, Seattle's Unsinkable Houseboats.

2011 Agenda

Here is the up-to-date 49th Annual meeting agenda. After the 2010 Annual meeting a number of people complained about the paper waste. We have heard you. One of the ways we can save on the paper excess is to ask you to print your own agenda, if you so desire.

Bios of New Candidates for FHA Board

Reminder: Elections will be held during the first half hour of the Annual Meeting. 

During the next few weeks, the FHA plans to send several E-alert notices regarding the April 28th Annual meeting.

Most of these notices will appear in this space. But if you want to be sure to receive the latest, soonest, please subscribe to our 'News and Events' email list. Look for the yellow 'FHA Connections' box in the column to the left or --

Just click here to subscribe.

Download Erin's complete report as a PDF document.

Erin Feeney is a graduate student at the University of Washington in the Masters of Architecture program.  After receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University, Erin was awarded a fellowship for one year of international travel to study vernacular architecture and ideas of sustainable living. Since coming to Seattle, Erin had been interested in the floating homes both as a vernacular element of the Seattle community and as a model of compact and efficient residential architecture.  Her personal involvement with the floating homes community began with her research for a course on building reuse and the vernacular architecture of Seattle.

Seattle's Department of Planning and Development released their proposed Shoreline Master Program updates in February. FHA board members are reviewing the proposal and drafting comments. The public comment period for these updates ends on May 31, 2011. Please find more information at this link to the draft regulations. Regulations specific to houseboats are under section 23.60.202.

The FHA has introduced a bill to the legislature that, if passed, would ensure permanence for our historic community by classifying our homes as preferred uses of the shoreline. We are hopeful that this bill will successfully work its way through the legislative process and become a law later this year. A link to the bill is here. You can follow the bill's progress by signing up for FHA e-alerts.

After years of drafting, the city's Department of Planning and Development released their proposed SMP updates this week. Following last Friday's successful meeting with DPD Director Diane Sugimura and other staff members, the FHA board is hopeful that the proposed regulations will reflect our suggested changes. 

You can find the regulations specific to houseboats under section 23.60.202.  

View DPD's SMP website: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/ShorelineMasterProgramUpdate/ReportsMaterials/default.asp

View a PDF of the proposed regulations: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cms/groups/pan/@pan/@plan/@shorelinemasterprog/documents/web_informational/dpdp020618.pdf