This article offers a two-line strategic approach to tackle the housing crisis in Spain from a human rights perspective. First, it advocates changes to the mortgage repossession procedure based on the principles of proportionality and reasonableness of the right to private and family life. And second, it operationalises the meaning of the general prohibition of retrogressive measures on economic, social and cultural rights by looking at five policy measures adopted in recent years. These measures and their consequences show that social austerity is incompatible with states' obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the right to housing.