The Chicago Housing Authority board passed an amendment on Tuesday that makes changes within its housing voucher program, which serves more than 30,000 families.

The new language acknowledges domestic partners as new family members on the subsidized housing leases.

 Jessica Porter runs the voucher program and said the recent legalization of civil unions in Illinois prompted the CHA amendment.

“Rather than waiting for an issue to arise, we just wanted to clarify and be compliant with the state,” Porter said.

Porter said there hasn’t been a flood of residents seeking to add these types of new family members. Officials made the change as a clarification to the public.

Residents in traditional public housing developments can also have recognized domestic partners.