That's the definition of a boat and will never change.

House boats(no matter elegant or floating trailers), ramshackle floating derelict sailboats or motorboats(they litter waterways already) will be ever be considered boats. They should require landside regulations like any housing(legal docks, sewer, water, zoning, etc)Those have gotten all of us "boaters" into trouble jeopardizing our right to navigate and anchor in federal or public waters.

Barge boats, shantyboats, riverboats are as old as any boats and if they can navigate the waterways(even completely protected like canals), adhere to sanitation laws, pass inspections for registration, they are boats and should be protected. As a sailor who's gone up and down the east coast more than once, I think it's in all our best interests to have anchoring time limits. This keeps the aforementioned definition -Boat-, in intact. I don't see it as a detriment to liveaboards either. You have to keep your vessel ready to navigate at all times, that's a safety requirement for yourself and others. It's a boat.

I hate to dwell on the desperate side too much for those needing shantys for housing, although that's always been the case for too many. I find the innovative side of ShantyboatsLiving.com the interest today. Like any boat, shanty boats will serve as housing for some but more will be looking for an enjoyable and interesting way to get out on the water.

Some will sink and founder as owners learn the hard way that the ocean isn't a trailer park. Nothing new there either, boats have been doing that forever.