Section 21-109. Recovery from recipient who has property or other means

a.
  If it shall at any time be ascertained that any person, who has received
  support or care or treatment from the city through the commissioner, has
  real or personal property or other means  of  enabling  him  or  her  to
  reimburse  the city, an action may be maintained in a court of competent
  jurisdiction, by such commissioner, against such person or  his  or  her
  estate  to  recover  such sums of money as may have been expended by the
  city through such commissioner in the support or care  or  treatment  of
  such person during the period of ten years next preceding such discovery
  or the death of such person.
    b.  Instead  of  bringing  the  legal  proceedings  as in this section
  specified, such commissioner may determine the reasonable value of  such
  support  or  care  or  treatment,  and  enter  into an agreement for its
  payment.