Allen J. Scott, distinguished professor emeritus of public policy and geography, spoke to WalletHub about the dynamics of rapid city growth. “The problem can be characterized as one of mounting externalities and the increasing need for collective management as the city grows beyond its existing social, economic and physical limits,” Scott said. He suggested that local authorities who want to grow their cities focus on knowledge-sharing, innovative services, enhancing inter-firm trust, market intelligence and education. Scott argued that more public housing and housing assistance for the poor would ensure that local residents aren’t priced out of their homes as the population grows. Zoning practices and NIMBY-ism are somewhat responsible for rising housing costs, but Scott argued that above all it is associated with local economic growth leading to population growth.