Abstract: Since the movement of industrialization and urbanization, affordability, security, and accessibility have been the three value elements concerned in housing policy. Through rapid development and change, rental housing system in current China has been composed by market-oriented rental housing, informal housing, and affordable rental housing. There are many security risks concerning informal housing although it meets affordability and accessibility. Market-oriented rental housing can balance security and accessibility, but it has poor affordability. Affordable rental housing has the advantages of affordability and security, but it is lacking in terms of accessibility. There is a so-called trilemma because any of the three types of housing can meet only two value elements rather than all of there. In order to promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of the housing rental market, we should give priority to the development of cost-based rental housing, strengthen inclusive housing policy, intensify safety supervision for rental housing, and enhance the synergy of supportive policies.

Key words: rental housing system, security, affordability, accessibility, trilemma, cost-oriented rental housing, inclusive housing policy