plenty of places to charge, and lots of free wifi.

its a good thing. they can communicate, call for help, or just stay busy -- you have a lot of free time when you're homeless and jobless, and being able to scroll the internet keeps you in sync w/ the world.

probelm is getting them the phone, and making sure they don't lose it.

You speak as if this is a group of "others" that need controlling, rather than a (temporary) situation anyone can find themselves in. Nor do you recognize the reasons why people end up homeless. You suggest that pushing people to doom scroll all day is a good thing.

Have you considered that being homeless you'd have no money? At risk of theft? That many sell anything worth something to feed themselves or addictions? That you'd get kicked out of places where it's warm with wifi? That you'd have to carry a charger around too? Or that people often refuse to communicate and ignore you? Or that you'd desperately need help and long term support already, which isn't there? Probably struggling with mental health or abuse and trauma?

Tying our lives to a digital devices in order to exist is already dystopian. What you suggest in such a tone and attitude is detached from reality.