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A 54-year-old Wilkes-Barre man said he was left &#8220;financially exhausted&#8221; and unable to pay taxes on his lifelong home while he was undergoing surgery and treatment for kidney cancer diagnosed in 2013.His property is among seven owner-occupied residences that will be removed from Thursday&#8217;s Luzerne County back-tax auction because the owners qualified for the county&#8217;s new hardship program, officials say.County Chief Solicitor C. David Pedri said he will publicly brief county council Tuesday on the seven applications, including 13 that did not meet eligibility requirements.John Rodgers, head of county tax-claim operator Northeast Revenue Service Inc., pushed for the program because more delinquent property owners had been asking judges for removal from auctions due to illnesses and economic struggles. The county program with eligibility requirements will reduce the need for judges to make subjective decisions on which should be removed and have more time to repay.To qualify for the hardship, senior citizens&#8217; annual household income must be below the cap for a state property tax rent rebate, which is currently $35,000, not including half of Social Security income. The seniors can receive an additional three months to settle the debt if they are able to pay during the extension, with the option for further extensions based on financial circumstances.Property owners under 65 must provide documentation of a significant emergency situation, such as unemployment or a serious injury or illness. The program allows up to one year to settle the debt if the owners enter into a repayment agreement.Two of the approved property owners were under 65. Here are some details about their situation based on documents submitted to the county:&#8226; The 54-year-old Wilkes-Barre man, who is single, said his kidney appears to be cancer-free and functioning since April, but doctors were studying if the disease spread to his liver.He has been on Social Security disability since 2010 and receives $1,437 per month. His remaining income is a monthly pension of $167. That brings his annual income to $19,251.The man owes $4,898 in back taxes on the residence, which is assessed at $87,700 and carries a $40,000 outstanding mortgage.&#8226; A 59-year-old divorced man said he has no income or savings and is actively seeking employment after a five-year sabbatical to provide round-the-clock care for his mother, who had cancer, and his now-deceased father and aunt.He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1974 to 1978, has a master&#8217;s degree in business administration and worked in biology and management positions for more than 20 years. His resume also lists volunteer work with local community organizations.The man said he has been attending all area job fairs and utilizing the state&#8217;s job search program seeking a new position.He cashed out his retirement savings to fund legal fees, family care expenses and college tuition support for two children and also faces a $24,000 Internal Revenue Service lien stemming from the retirement close-out.His Hanover Township home is assessed at $60,000, and he owes a total $4,528 in back taxes.&#8220;I will notify the organization immediately of my employment and begin the process of fast track repayment,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;The home is the only asset I have left.&#8221;The elderly hardship participants did not have to outline details about their struggles, though one recently received treatment for lung cancer.Some information about them:&#8226; A 68-year-old widow who has been living in a Wilkes-Barre Township home she inherited for six years. Her only income is $1,143 per month, or $13,716 annually, from Social Security. The property is assessed at $44,300, and she owes $1,901 in back taxes.&#8226; A 70-year-old widow has been living in her Hazle Township home for 40 years and owes $9,224 in back taxes. She receives $1,136 in monthly income from Social Security, or $13,632 annually. Her home is assessed at $175,000.&#8226; A Lehman Township couple in their mid-60s owes a total $9,898 in back taxes and lives on a household income of $19,128 annually from Social Security. The couple lived in the home, which is assessed at $240,400, for two decades.&#8226; A 61-year-old widow owes $2,519 in back taxes on the West Wyoming home where she has lived her entire life. The home is assessed at $55,800. She receives $665 per month, or $7,980 annually, from Social Security.&#8226; A couple in their late 70s owes $3,248 in back taxes on a half-double. They lived there for 39 years. Their combined household income is $24,508. He is the one battling lung cancer.Properties are eligible for auction if a delinquency dates back two years.Thursday&#8217;s auction, which begins at 10 a.m. in the county courthouse, is a first-stage sale that requires bidders to pay all back taxes and accept responsibility for liens attached to their purchases. Properties that don&#8217;t sell will advance to a free-and-clear auction, where taxes and liens are forgiven, next year.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jennifer Learn-Andesjandes@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County property owners detail struggles in plea for removal from tax auction