HUD Housing Programs: Tenants’ Rights (The Green Book): 13.5.5.4 Civil Lawsuits
An “aggrieved person” under the FHA can also elect to pursue FHA claims in state or federal court.658 There is no requirement that an aggrieved person exhaust administrative remedies before seeking a judicial remedy.659 However, a complainant is not barred from pursuing judicial remedies simply because an administrative complaint has been filed, except: (1) when an administrative law judge has already begun a hearing related to the same allegations,660