Humanitarian Crisis at 948 Dwight Street: Disabled Tenant Faces Imminent Eviction Amid Massive Housing Violations

A severely disabled Holyoke resident is facing imminent displacement as property owner Mui Tran of M Tran Properties LLC moves forward with eviction proceedings targeting a September 15th removal date. The legal push comes despite a history of unaddressed sanitary code violations, raising severe concerns over tenant safety, property management accountability, and human welfare. The tenant residing in the building lives with compounding medical vulnerabilities. He is a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic who suffers from hypoglycemia unawareness—a life-threatening condition where an individual cannot feel sudden, dangerous drops in blood sugar. He is also legally blind, with total vision loss in his right eye and roughly thirty-five percent remaining vision in his left. Forced removal on September 15th places his life in immediate danger, as street homelessness means losing access to the refrigeration required to preserve life-saving insulin while navigating public hazards without sight or blood sugar awareness. Despite these conditions, property ownership has pressed forward with eviction efforts while neglecting basic, legally mandated repairs. Official City of Holyoke inspection records document a continuous pattern of neglected conditions. Key unaddressed citations include severe plumbing failures, non-functional water filtration, unsafe electrical fixtures, drafty window envelopes, missing screens, insect infestations, non-compliant door locks, and inadequate hallway lighting that presents severe fall hazards for visually impaired residents. Additionally, property management has repeatedly failed to remove a structurally compromised fire escape dating back to citations from 2023. Further structural decay is evident on the building exterior, where missing mortar between bricks is improperly patched with temporary spray foam instead of real masonry repair. Beyond structural neglect, the landlord has subjected the unit's residents to erratic administrative tactics regarding tenancy preservation. On July 28th, the landlord agreed to participate in rent relief and housing assistance programs through Wayfinders and the RAFT program to cover rental costs or facilitate a smooth transition into new housing. However, on August 25th—after the tenant completed all applications and documentation—the owner reversed course, refusing to accept the assistance funds and pressing ahead with street eviction. The building at 948 Dwight Street has lacked basic janitorial upkeep and maintenance personnel since the property was acquired out-of-state in 2023, leaving common hallways uncleaned and dark. Tenants have escalated formal complaints to the Holyoke Mayor's Office, the Board of Health, Code Enforcement, the Massachusetts Attorney General, state legislators, and federal housing authorities. The tenant is currently pursuing an urgent motion to stay in the apartment unit. Temporary legal relief is critical to allow regional housing agencies time to finalize Section 8 placement and emergency relocation aid before a vulnerable, disabled resident is left on the street. prospective renters are strongly cautioned against leasing units at 948 Dwight Street under the current management of M Tran Properties LLC.