By the second half of the 20th century, the central part of Naples could no longer withstand the post-war population growth, and residents began to increasingly move into neighbouring communes to the south, such as Portici or San Giorgio a Cremano. The large derelict residential areas of the former stately homes and apartments were ripe for development, and many fine homes were knocked down, often illegally, to make way for new housing developments. From 1951 to 1981 the population of San Giorgio a Cremano more than tripled.