Massachusetts lawmakers fail to approve $250M in emergency shelter aid

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts Legislature has wrapped up its formal session without a deal on a supplemental budget. The $2.8 billion spending bill includes hundreds of millions of dollars to address the state’s overburdened emergency shelters. Both the House and Senate bills would steer $250 million toward the shelter system. Lawmakers were unable to resolve other differences early Thursday. Lawmakers embarked for the holiday break with uncertainty clouding the state’s response to shelter emergency. Advocates are relying on a patchwork of temporary housing to provide shelter. Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system hit a state-imposed limit of 7,500 families last week. That has forced some homeless people to be put on a waiting list.