LEWISTON — The Neighborhood Housing League, a new project of the Visible Community, recently hosted a Community Dinner and Tenants’ Rights Training, attended by 40 neighborhood residents and community members at the B-Street Community Center.

Residents of downtown participated in a training given by Pine Tree Legal, heard preliminary results from housing surveys collected by the league and decided on what activities tenants most wanted the league to carry out in 2010 to ensure better housing for all residents.

Food from the 3 and 1 Café and Clever Cooks, a teen catering program at the St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, was provided.

The Neighborhood Housing League is nearing completion of 400 surveys of residents in downtown Lewiston about their housing conditions, including rights and responsibilities as tenants. Each survey asks residents to describe the safety of their housing, their relationship with property owners and other tenants, and if they feel their housing needs are being fairly met.

During the conversations, tenants were also invited to sign a “good neighbor pledge” that demonstrates their commitment to being a good steward of their block and a respectful neighbor to other residents. Finally, residents were invited to participate in the Neighborhood Housing League and see that housing conditions improve for low income people in Lewiston.

The project is funded with grants from the Sparkplug Foundation and Empower Lewiston.