Information on Personel Effects:

GIVE YOUR VOICE Meeting with the Office of the Manhattan Property Clerk
Meeting Minutes

GIVE YOUR VOICE contacted the NYC Property Clerk’s office to obtain an update on the status of the office’s requirements and plan to return the personal belongings of loved ones lost on September 11th. The following are answers to questions posed at the meeting. Please write us with other questions that you might have with respect to the return of the personal property of your loved ones.

1. Are the personal belongings of our loved ones secure?

All personal property gathered from the three locations, [World Trade Center, Freshkills and the morgue] is placed under the guardianship of the NYPD Property Clerk Division. All belongings are handled with great care and kept under tight security.

2. When does the Property Clerk expect to return the personal belongings of loved ones to family members?

The Property Clerk is diligently working to ensure that all items are returned as quickly as possible. They have asked that family members remain patient as they work to ensure that all items are returned to the right/proper family. Items are returned to their proper owner(s) upon presentation of acceptable identification. Under no circumstances will any of the property be discarded. The normal 90-day claim has been suspended for the World Trade Center Tragedy.

3. Where does the property go after it has been recovered?

Property recovered at Ground Zero and Fresh Kills.
For property that is not needed for evidence, the Property Clerk Division sends out notifications via the U.S. Mail to identified owners (if address/contact information can be ascertained). Owners are advised to retrieve their property at Manhattan Property Clerk, Room S-20, Street Level of Police Headquarters, 646-610-5906, by presenting identification.

If the owner is deceased, an administrator must be designated. Estates of deceased persons who had a will are handled by the Surrogate’s Court. Estates of deceased persons who died without a will are handled by the Public Administrator’s Office. Special arrangements have been made with the Manhattan Public Administrator, 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY, 212-788-8430, to authorize a specific family member as the designated person to claim property. This precludes victims from returning to the decedent’s resident county and seeking authorization from that county’s Public Administrator/Surrogate’s Court. A special window at the Manhattan Property Clerk’s Office has been designated solely for WTC victims.

Property Recovered at Bellevue Morgue (with human remains).
When the remains of a victim of the WTC event are identified at Bellevue Morgue, the NYPD Missing Persons Squad notifies the next of kin of the recovery. The Missing Person Squad will also notify the next of kin of any recovered property associated with this recovery. Accordingly, the next of kin should ensure that they receive a voucher number. (Note: Property found with the deceased is used to assist in the positive identification of the individual. Upon positive identification of the deceased, all property belonging to the victim is personally returned to next of kin at the Family Assistance Center).

The personal property recovered with the victim is kept at a Property Clerk emergency storage facility at the Bellevue Medical Examiner’s facility. This is done to expedite and facilitate the Missing Person’s identification process.

Mayor’s Office Community Assistance Unit – Tom Curitore – 212-788-7418. Mr. Curitore telephones Property Clerk personnel assigned to Bellevue Morgue, and the designated property is immediately hand delivered by Property Clerk personnel to the Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit at 51 Chambers Street for immediate return to the court-designated next of kin.

4. Can Family Members Assist the Property Clerk to Identify Personal Belongings?

Unidentifiable items collected require much more time to return to their rightful owner(s). Family members can assist the Property Clerk by gathering any information or photos that may help them to identify property. For example if a wedding ring is missing, pictures may have been taken of that ring for insurance purposes. Providing photos of these items would help in the identification process. Serial numbers, a bill of sale, or a special engraving that could assist the Property Clerk in identifying a particular or unique item is most appreciated.

5. How are family members notified after identification of property is made?

Once the identification is made, a two-page letter is issued by the Property Clerk to notify family members that retrieval of a personal effect(s) of their loved one(s) can be made. The first page begins by notifying the family member that the Property Clerk may have property that belonged to their loved one. The second page provides instructions on how the family member can retrieve the item(s) and outlines the information/proper identification they need to bring to the Property Clerk’s office for proof of the next of kin.

In a case where no formal “will” is involved, family members must go to the Public Administrator’s office located at 31 Chambers Street. The Public Administrator will determine next of kin. Once the next of kin has been determined, a voucher is stamped. Family members must receive a voucher and have it stamped by the public administrator in order for the property to be released by the Property Clerk’s Office. The Property Clerk will then deliver and release the deceased’s items to the family members.

In the case were loved ones have left a will; a letter of testamentary is required for property to be released. The letter of testamentary can be picked up by the Surrogates Court. Once that Letter of Testamentary is given, the Property Clerk will then release the property to the family.

6. How can I obtain a Voucher?

Vouchers can be picked up directly from the Property Clerk’s office at 1 Police Plaza (street level). A liaison has been established with the Public Administrator’s office at 31 Chambers Street and will assist in determining next of kin. The Public Administrator will stamp the voucher you received at 1 Police Plaza in order for the property to be released by the Property clerk. The property clerk will deliver and release the items to the family members at the Manhattan Property Clerk’s office located at One Police Plaza. (Street Level).

7. What are the Property Clerk’s Hours of Operation?

Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (Not opened on the weekends.)

Note: In an effort to assist the family members, The Property Clerk has set up a separate window for family members to access information on their loved ones property. Family members do not need to wait on public lines.