Liu Zuyun and Mao Xiaoping

　　a Center for Studies of Hong Kong, Macao and Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-sen University

　　b School of Marxism, Hunan University of Science and Technology

　　Abstract:Data from a questionnaire survey of over 1,000 households conducted in Guangzhou in 2010 indicate that urban housing stratification has “three ranks and five levels”: in ascending order, the structure is composed of those who do not own any residential property, those owning one property (comprising those whose home ownership derives from social welfare, commercial purchase, or inheritance) and those owning more than one property. Political capital, human capital, occupation and income have a significant effect on people’s access to home ownership. Urban housing stratification reflects and may exacerbate social polarization between the rich and the poor. Therefore, the objective, targets and mode of housing security should be premised on housing stratification.

　　Keywords: housing stratification, polarization between the rich and the poor, housing security