Auburn has delivered property tax assistance payments to 145 seniors in the first year of a new program, city officials said.

According to Finance Director Kelsey Earle, a total of $125,913 was paid to the seniors, meaning the payments averaged $868. The program matched the state’s property tax fairness credit up to a maximum of $1,000.

To be eligible for the program, residents had to meet seven requirements. Fifteen people who applied for the assistance did not qualify.

The requirements included that applicants must be at least 65 years old; have been a resident of Auburn for at least 10 years; are enrolled in the state’s Property Tax Fairness Credit program, have a total household income that does not exceed the city’s median household income, and more.

City officials included the $150,000 pilot program in this year’s budget in response to ongoing concerns about rising property taxes as home values continue to increase.

During budget deliberations this spring, City Manager Phil Crowell said that providing property tax relief for low-income, fixed-income seniors who are “struggling to pay their property tax was, by far, the priority concern that we heard from our senior citizens.”

Auburn, like communities across the state, is conducting a citywide revaluation.

Mayor Jeff Harmon said Tuesday he believes the program met the council’s goals in its first year.

“I think the program was a success as it provided significant relief to seniors that are struggling to pay their property tax,” he said. “We hope that our outreach will also educate other seniors to the availability of the Property Tax Fairness Credit on the state level, as that is a significant and underutilized resource.”

According to Earle, the payments were mailed Aug. 26.

The city’s property tax rate for this fiscal year is $22.88 per $1,000 of valuation, a 63-cent increase from last year. A homeowner with a home and property valued at $300,000 saw taxes increase by $189.