Section 15.11. Temporary use by former owners

1. The commissioner, or the
  governing body of a municipality with the approval of the  commissioner,
  may  make agreements with respect to any lands acquired pursuant to this
  article by the state or by such municipality, respectively, whereby such
  lands may continue to be occupied and used by the former  owners,  their
  tenants  or  assigns, for a period not exceeding ten years from the date
  of acquisition of such lands, provided that during the  period  of  such
  occupancy,  such  lands  shall  remain  on  the  assessment rolls of the
  municipality, school districts and other districts  in  which  they  are
  located and shall be subject to real estate taxes and assessments in the
  same  manner  as  privately  owned lands. The right of a former owner to
  occupy and use such lands shall be conditioned on the prompt payment  of
  the  full  amount  of  such  taxes  and  assessments,  with interest and
  penalties, if any. Neither the  state  nor  the  municipality  shall  be
  liable  for real estate taxes or assessments on such lands during such a
  period. A copy of any such agreement shall  be  filed  with  the  county
  clerk  of  the  county  in  which such lands are located. Nothing herein
  contained shall be construed to limit the authority of the  commissioner
  to  accept  conditional  grants,  bequests  or devises of property under
  other provisions of this chapter.
    2. Notwithstanding anything contained in this article to the contrary,
  the governing body of any municipality,  without  the  approval  of  the
  commissioner,  may  acquire  lands  pursuant  to  this  article  for the
  purposes contained in this  article,  without  the  aid  of  funds  made
  available  thereby,  and  upon such purchase may enter into an agreement
  for the use of such property  as  outlined  in  this  section,  subject,
  however, to the terms and conditions contained herein.