Answer:
The topic of urban sprawling, defined as the expansion of urban living from the cities towards the outskirts of them, known as suburbs, is a pretty complex one. In essence, it is a difficult topic because people are finding in the suburbs not only every commodity that they once enjoyed in the city itself, but they are also finding it more peaceful. The increased sense of comfort, and also of tranquility and elevated sense of welfare, despite having to commute to work into the city, has driven more and more people to move towards these outskirt communities. Another point to suburban living is that housing prices seem to be cheaper on the outskirts of a city than within it, and in most places, city living conditions: transport, recreational areas, streets, security, among others, are not good enough to tempt a person living in the outskirts to choose to come back to the city.
Thus, if a government in a certain country wishes to reduce urban sprawling and lure people back into the cities, there are a series of measures that they will need to take to achieve this.
1. Increase property taxes on suburban homes. Ricing the price of houses in the suburbs will make a person think twice before leaving the city. Most people choose the outskirts because they are cheaper.
2. Increase city conditions in general: ensure good transportation systems so people have easy access both to their workplace, school systems and commercial establishments. Ensure there are enough recreational areas, and that security is enhanced, among other such things.
3. Lure back in companies so that they decide to re-settle within the city, thus making workers choose to move back into the city to live close to where they work.
4. Improve the school system inside the city. A lot of people prefer to go to the outskirts because schools have settled there that offer better conditions than those inside the city.
Like these, there are many more ways in which a government can discourage urban sprawling and repopulate cities.