Massachusetts is facing a major financial crisis as the cost of its emergency shelter system is set to exceed $1 billion in the coming years. Governor Maura Healey's administration has updated its budget estimates, revealing that the state will likely spend more on emergency shelters than initially planned. Over the next fiscal year, costs for housing migrants and local families are expected to exceed $1 billion, up from the earlier estimate of $915 million. This increase suggests that the demand for shelter services is not expected to decrease.

The updated numbers came out just hours after Healey signed a new state budget into law. This budget allocates $325 million for the shelter system and uses $175 million in leftover pandemic funds to help cover these costs reports the Boston Herald.

The high spending isn’t expected to drop soon. State officials have hinted that more taxpayer money will probably be needed to keep the shelter system running in the coming years. In a pre...