trafficante metropolitan life argued november decided december two tenants apartment complex filed complaints secretary housing urban development alleging landlord racially discriminated nonwhites tenants thereby lost social benefits living integrated community missed business professional advantages accrued living members minority groups suffered stigmatized residents white ghetto district reaching merits held complaining tenants within class persons entitled sue civil rights act appeals affirming construed permit complaints persons objects discriminatory housing practices held definition person aggrieved person claims injured discriminatory housing practice shows congressional intention define standing broadly permitted article iii constitution petitioners tenants apartment complex standing sue pp reversed remanded douglas delivered opinion unanimous white filed concurring opinion blackmun powell joined post stephen bomse argued cause petitioners briefs george clyde margaret brown richard kilmartin argued cause filed brief metropolitan life insurance robert shea argued cause filed brief respondent parkmerced deputy solicitor general wallace argued cause amicus curiae urging reversal brief solicitor general griswold assistant attorney general norman frank schwelb briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed robert keith booth city palo alto california jack greenberg james nabrit iii charles stephen ralston michael davidson william bennett turner alice daniel naacp legal defense educational fund justice douglas delivered opinion two tenants parkmerced apartment complex san francisco housing residents filed separate complaints secretary housing urban development hud pursuant civil rights act stat one tenant black one white alleged owner parkmerced discriminated nonwhites basis race rental apartments within complex violation act hud pursuant act notified appropriate california state agency complaints state agency lack adequate resources handle complaints referred charge back hud since hud failed secure voluntary compliance within days petitioners brought action district act complaint alleged owner discriminated nonwhite rental applicants numerous ways making known welcome parkmerced manipulating waiting list apartments delaying action applications using discriminatory acceptance standards like two tenants claimed injured lost social benefits living integrated community missed business professional advantages accrued lived members minority groups suffered embarrassment economic damage social business professional activities stigmatized residents white ghetto district reach merits held petitioners within class persons entitled sue act supp appeals affirmed construing narrowly permit complaints persons objects discriminatory housing practices case petition writ certiorari granted reverse judgment definition person aggrieved contained terms broad defined ny person claims injured discriminatory housing practice act gives secretary hud power receive investigate complaints regarding discriminatory housing practices secretary however must defer state agencies provide relief named practice state agency act secretary may seek resolve controversy conference conciliation persuasion attempts fail complainant may proceed pursuant moreover rights may enforced civil actions appropriate district courts without regard amount controversy brought within days alleged discriminatory housing practice occurred addition gives attorney general authority bring civil action appropriate district reasonable cause believe person group persons engaged pattern practice resistance full enjoyment rights granted act apparent solicitor general says complaints private persons primary method obtaining compliance act hackett mcguire dealt phrase allowed suit started person claiming aggrieved civil rights act concluded words used showed congressional intention define standing broadly permitted article iii constitution respect suits brought act reach conclusion insofar tenants housing unit charged discrimination concerned language act broad inclusive individual injury injury fact petitioners ingredient found missing sierra club morton alleged proof may one thing alleged injury existing tenants exclusion minority persons apartment complex loss important benefits interracial associations legislative history act helpful key section us derived amendment offered senator mondale incorporated bill offered senator dirksen members minority groups damaged discrimination housing practices proponents legislation emphasized direct objects discrimination interest ensuring fair housing suffered assistant regional administrator hud wrote petitioners counsel november determination office complainants aggrieved persons within jurisdiction act told consistent administrative construction act construction entitled great weight udall tallman griggs duke power design act confirms construction hud power enforcement far federal agencies concerned attorney general may sue yet noted may sue correct pattern practice housing discrimination phrase pattern practice creates limiting factors authority need stop analyze solicitor general points fair housing litigation conducted attorney general handled housing section civil rights division less two dozen lawyers since hud enforcement powers since enormity task assuring fair housing makes role attorney general matter minimal main generating force must private suits solicitor general says complainants act behalf also private attorneys general vindicating policy congress considered highest priority role private attorneys general uncommon modern legislative programs see newman piggie park enterprises allen state board elections perkins matthews case borak serves important role part civil rights act protecting discrimination directed also whose complaint manner managing housing project affects quality daily lives shannon dept housing urban dispute tendered complaint presented adversary context flast cohen injury alleged particularity present abstract question raising problems art iii constitution person landlord blacklist victim discriminatory housing practices senator javits said supporting bill whole community cong rec senator mondale drafted said reach proposed law replace ghettos truly integrated balanced living patterns give vitality generous construction gives standing sue housing unit injured racial discrimination management facilities within coverage statute reverse remand case district leaving untouched questions including suggestion case metropolitan life insurance become moot reversed remanded footnotes person claims injured discriminatory housing practice believes irrevocably injured discriminatory housing practice occur hereafter person aggrieved may file complaint secretary complaints shall writing shall contain information form secretary requires upon receipt complaint secretary shall furnish copy person persons allegedly committed commit alleged discriminatory housing practice within thirty days receiving complaint within thirty days expiration period reference subsection secretary shall investigate complaint give notice writing person aggrieved whether intends resolve secretary decides resolve complaint shall proceed try eliminate correct alleged discriminatory housing practice informal methods conference conciliation persuasion owner time suit started metropolitan life ins suit commenced parkmerced acquired apartment complex metropolitan joined defendant section provides wherever state local fair housing law provides rights remedies alleged discriminatory housing practices substantially equivalent rights remedies provided title secretary shall notify appropriate state local agency complaint filed title appears constitute violation state local fair housing law secretary shall take action respect complaint appropriate state local law enforcement official within thirty days date alleged offense brought attention commenced proceedings matter done carries forward proceedings reasonable promptness event shall secretary take action unless certifies judgment circumstances particular case protection rights parties interests justice require action section provides relevant part within thirty days complaint filed secretary within thirty days expiration period reference subsection secretary unable obtain voluntary compliance title person aggrieved may within thirty days thereafter commence civil action appropriate district respondent named complaint enforce rights granted protected title insofar rights relate subject complaint less tenants apartment complex black note supra note supra find unnecessary reach question standing sue basis third cause action alleged petition based allegations made civil rights act dirksen substitute cong rec retained present language senator mondale previously introduced bill passed senate house subsequently passed aggrieved person provision senator mondale bill carried dirksen bill found mondale bill see hearings subcommittee housing urban affairs senate committee banking currency sess justice white justice blackmun justice powell join concurring absent civil rights act great difficulty concluding petitioners complaint case presented case controversy within jurisdiction district art iii constitution statute purporting give authorized complain agency right also sue sustain statute insofar extends standing position petitioners case cf katzenbach morgan oregon mitchell consequently join opinion judgment