N.Y. Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law § 19.18: Acquiring title to undocumented property

§ 19.18 Acquiring title to undocumented property. Notwithstanding any

other provision of law regarding abandoned or lost property the office

may acquire title to undocumented property held by the office for at

least five years as follows:

1. The office must give notice by publication that it is asserting

title to the undocumented property.

2. In addition to the information described in section 19.16 of this

article, the notice shall be entitled "Notice of Intent to Acquire Title

to Property" and must include a statement containing substantially the

following information: "The records of the office of parks, recreation

and historic preservation fail to indicate the owner of record of

certain property in its possession. The office hereby asserts its intent

to acquire title to the following property: (general description of

property). If you claim ownership of this property, you must submit

written proof of ownership to the office and make arrangements to

collect the property. If you fail to do so within one hundred eighty

days, the office will commence proceedings to acquire title to the

property. If you claim an interest in the property but do not possess

written proof of such interest, you should submit your name and address

and a written statement of your claim to (name of contact), within one

hundred eighty days, in order to receive notice of any legal proceedings

concerning the property. If you wish to commence legal proceedings to

claim the property, you should consult your attorney.

3. If after one hundred eighty days following the last date of

publication of such notice no claimant has responded thereto by

submitting written proof of ownership of the property to the office, or

if there is a dispute between the office and any claimant as to

ownership of the property, at the request of the commissioner, the

attorney general may make an application to the supreme court pursuant

to article thirty of the civil practice law and rules for a declaratory

judgment to determine the office's rights in the property.