The Roger Williams Housing Project was built in 1943 to address housing issues for the low-income residents of Providence. The project was considered a success for the first fifteen years of its existence, with a strong residents association and federal support. When federal funding for maintenance was cut in the 1960s, the buildings and grounds fell into disrepair. By 1970, all but one of the buildings was boarded and abandoned. All but two of the original buildings were demolished to make room for Mandela Woods, a townhouse style low-income development.https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/smolski_images/1247/thumbnail.jp