LEWISTON — Linda Bell has seen a lot of changes in her 32 years as a resident of the housing community formerly known as Tall Pines. The 62-year-old grandmother raised her two sons in one of the 43 apartment buildings on Strawberry Avenue and is now raising her grandchild in the same unit.

But, she says with a tinge of sadness in her voice, times have definitely changed.

“I think back to when my boys were younger. The kids back then had more imagination,” Bell said. “I don’t think (kids) have the right supervision now. If they could just get involved in something and have respect for the adults who want to help them.”

Bell is one of a growing number of longtime, older residents at what is today River Valley Village who is fed up with the increasing amount of vandalism, taunting, fighting, disrespect and general bad behavior among the housing community’s youngest residents. She is also one of an expected 40-plus residents who will meet Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. with members of the housing community’s administrative staff and officers from the Lewiston Police Department about forming a neighborhood watch group.

The meeting marks the fourth held by administrative staff in an effort to get residents more involved. The 297-unit housing community is the largest low-to-moderate income housing community owned by The Caleb Foundation. Based in Swampscott, Mass., the interfaith organization develops, preserves and manages rental communities throughout New England. Harbor Management, also based in Swampscott, Mass., manages the housing community.

“They’re all complaining about the same problem,” said Tina McBride, resident service and work force development coordinator for River Valley Village. “Their stories may change a bit, but they’re all similar in nature.”

Those stories and complaints, according to McBride, center primarily around young residents — kids and teens mostly — throwing rocks, disrespecting people, taunting each other and vandalizing property. Another common complaint involves residents improperly disposing of trash, she added.

But the most unnerving gripe making its way across McBride’s desk — too little supervision for children too little to be wandering the housing community unaccompanied.

“It’s nothing to see a 2-year-old walking down the street — one shoe on, one shoe off — not knowing which apartment is theirs,” McBride said. “The neglect is unbelievable.”

McBride, who joined the administrative staff at River Valley Village just months ago, is jump-starting several programs at one time to encourage better supervision while bolstering community involvement at the housing complex. Thus far, she has established a resident council, is getting programs going for the 400-plus children and teens living at River Valley and hopes to have at least one representative from each building on the neighborhood watch group forming now.

McBride said that interest in a neighborhood watch is not only growing steadily, but rapidly, as word spreads among residents. Just four people showed up for the first meeting she held. The group was 25 strong by its third meeting and she expects a turnout of more than 40 people Tuesday morning.

“I know that a lot of people don’t know what a neighborhood watch will consist of,” Bell said of working with McBride and police to establish one. “It’s a matter of knowing what to report. People have to understand that they have to be precise with their descriptions.”

McBride said she is working closely with the Lewiston Police Department in her efforts. In addition to the crime watch group, they are helping establish a basketball league at the housing community that will hold kids accountable if they want to remain on the court and off the bench. Children and teens participating in the league could be benched if they get in trouble with the neighborhood watch group.

Bell said that she expects the new programs will help transform and uplift the attitude among residents at River Valley Village. She also hopes that knowing that the neighborhood will be watching will help reduce criminal activity, while holding parents more accountable for their children.

“I think if people know something is in place, then it will benefit the community,” Bell said, adding that her fingers were crossed. “There will be something in place that everyone will feel a part of to keep things under control.”