The Houseboat War That Didn’t Happen

Christ Roberts’ towering Madonna | photo by Lawrence White, courtesy of Michael Rex | post by Larry Clinton

In the midst of the Houseboat Wars of the mid-70s, when boat dwellers were laying down in front of bulldozers to stop a developer from destroying their community, one group of citizens chose to envision and work towards what they wanted, rather than fight what they didn’t want. The result was the design and creation of the only neighborhood, and dock, that was constructed without a fight—an integrated community called the South 40. On Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. inside the Sausalito Library, Michael Rex, the architect who led the effort, will tell stories and present pictures and drawings from that tumultuous time.

The accompanying photo gives an idea what the area looked like before Waldo Point Harbor took over the Arques property. Behind the Madonna is the original South 40 floating dock that preceded the fixed pier that is there now.