Napier residents are still unable to have face-to-face contact with the tax man, because the Inland Revenue Department has still not found a suitable permanent location in the city.
About seven months after IRD vacated two floors in the city's public library building because of the building's sub-standard earthquake risk assessment, a department spokesman said the search for a new location continued.
"We are still in the process of arranging a permanent location in Napier. The best and first port of call for customers is through the national call centre."
IRD evacuated 78 staff from the Napier Library building in June, after a Napier City Council assessment found the building to be "earthquake-prone".
Changes to the Building Act last year defined an earthquake-prone building as one that is less than 34 per cent of the strength required of a new building - the NCC assessment found Napier Library to be at just 15 per cent as its lowest point.
The 78 IRD staff had worked from home until November, when they moved into two temporary offices in Bower St, and Tennyson St.
"At the moment staff are in temporary offices at two sites while we arrange a permanent location", the spokesman said.
NCC director of city strategy Richard Munneke said options for the future of the city library were still being assessed.
"Our efforts have been very much focused on rehousing our staff - a mammoth task, which has only just been completed. We can now turn our attention to the future of both the library and civic buildings and are putting all options on the table at this early stage.
"We're under way with an overarching library strategy that will identify the best future direction and eventual location of the library in the CBD and the existing library building is one of four options.
"The library strategy is due for completion by the end of this year and will include significant public consultation to make sure we get a great library in the best location for Napier."