PHA
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Public housing agency |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Government & Politics, Science & Engineering |
PHA has two meanings. It stands for Public housing agency (public program) or Potentially hazardous asteroid (astronomy & Space).
Meanings of PHA at a glance
| # | PHA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public housing agency | Government & Politics › Public Program |
| 2 | Potentially hazardous asteroid | Science & Engineering › Astronomy & Space |
1. Public housing agency
Government & Politics · Public Program Abbreviations
Local or state government body, often called a housing authority, that owns and manages public housing developments and administers Housing Choice Vouchers with HUD funding. There are roughly 3,300 PHAs nationwide.
Example: Contact your local PHA to find out whether its voucher waiting list is open.
The New York City Housing Authority is by far the largest, housing several hundred thousand residents. PHAs set many local policies, including preferences for applicants such as veterans or homeless families. HUD rates their performance through assessment systems that can lead to "troubled" designations and federal oversight.
2. Potentially hazardous asteroid
Science & Engineering · Astronomy & Space Abbreviations
Near-Earth asteroid whose orbit comes within 0.05 astronomical units (about 7.5 million kilometers) of Earth's and that is large enough, roughly 140 meters or more, to cause regional devastation on impact. The label signals objects to monitor, not an imminent threat.
Example: Apophis, a PHA about 340 meters wide, will pass within 32,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029.
PHAs are defined by their minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) and absolute magnitude. Impact risks are communicated with the 0-to-10 Torino scale. Further observations usually reduce the chance of impact to zero as the orbit is refined.
Related abbreviations
More public program abbreviations
- NSLP – National School Lunch Program
- OASDI – Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance
- OEP – Open enrollment period
- OPT – Optional Practical Training
- PPP – Paycheck Protection Program
- PSLF – Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- PUA – Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
- PWA – Public Works Administration
See all 65 public program abbreviations →