New York Laws
Article 19-A - Property Held by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
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.