N.Y. ABP Law § 202

§ 202. Parties to action. There may be made parties to such action,\nall persons who would have, might have or might claim to have any\ninterest in or lien upon the premises so escheated or forfeited, at the\ntime of such escheat or forfeiture, and all persons in possession of\nsuch real property. Where the names of the defendants are unknown, they\nmay be designated as "unknown defendants." The provisions of law\napplicable to actions to recover real property shall apply to such\nactions, except that service of the summons shall not be deemed to be\ncomplete until, pursuant to an order of the court, the summons together\nwith a notice directed to the defendants setting forth the object of the\naction, a brief description of the land affected, the source and manner\nin and by which it is alleged that said real property shall have\nescheated or forfeited to the people, and the name or names of person or\npersons whose title or interest shall have so escheated or have been\nforfeited, shall have been published once in each week for four\nsuccessive weeks in two newspapers designated in the order for such\npublication as most likely to give notice to the defendants to be\nserved.\n