Housing maintenance fund actually includes housing public facilities special fund and housing maintenance fund. The special fund for housing public facilities is referred to as the special fund, which is used for projects such as the renewal and transformation of the parts used by the property, public facilities and equipment, and shall not be used for other purposes. The special fund implements the principle of "money goes with the house". When the house is transferred, the remaining funds in the account are also transferred to the new property owner of the house.

China's housing maintenance fund system began in 1998, and in 24, the housing maintenance fund evolved into a fee that must be paid when a house handles a property right certificate. Its payment standard has also changed from the initial "2%-3% of the purchase price" to "5%-8% of the cost per square meter of residential construction and installation projects" in 28. According to the newly revised Measures for the Administration of Special Maintenance Funds for Residential Buildings in 27, the public maintenance fund is used exclusively for the maintenance of public facilities in residential quarters and belongs to all owners. However, before the establishment of the owners' committee, the funds were generally managed by the real estate administrative authorities.

The name of the housing maintenance fund has changed several times over the years. In 1998, it was called the housing maintenance fund, and later it was changed to the commercial housing public maintenance fund. In 27, according to Decree No.165 jointly issued by the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Finance at that time, it finally became the special housing maintenance fund.