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Family members press commission on succession of Anahola lease after lessee's death
Summary
At the May 20 meeting heirs of the late Frank Cummings asked the commission to confirm successor rights for his son, Jesse Cummings, saying the lessee had prepared the property and intended succession. Family members said they were denied records and asked the commission to ensure due process and transparency.
Family members of the late lessee Frank Cummings asked the Hawaiian Homes Commission on May 20 to recognize a succession claim by his son, Jesse Kekoa Cummings, and to ensure transparent processing of succession paperwork they say the family submitted.
Jesse Cummings and his wife, Roslyn, said they prepared the Anahola property at Frank Cummings’s request before his travel and that Frank told family members he wanted the land to remain with his biological children and descendants. Jesse said he filed a formal notice of succession on Feb. 20, 2025, requested lease documents, and followed up with a UIPA request; family members said they had not received the lease file or succession records and that requests have gone unanswered.
Jesse and several of his children, who testified in support, said the family has long ties to Anahola and that the lessee had directed succession to his son. Supporters asked the commission to ensure the department processes the succession claim with full transparency, to disclose any designated successor recorded on file, and to pause any reassignment until lawful remedies are exhausted.
Witnesses described attempts to speak informally with relatives who may have been designated as successor and said outreach was unsuccessful; they urged due‑process review rather than unilateral reassignment. Nakaidua Villatora and other community members provided corroborating statements that Frank Cummings had expressed a desire to leave the property to his son and grandchildren and that the family has been actively farming and stewarding the site.
Commission staff did not make a final procedural ruling during public testimony. Commissioners listened and asked staff to review the documents and response timeline that Jesse said he submitted, including succession notices, affidavits of breach and a UIPA request. The commission did not vote on a contested‑case referral at the meeting; Jesse said he had prepared documents requesting a contested‑case hearing should administrative remedies be delayed or withheld.
Family members asked the commission to verify chain‑of‑custody for any file entries and to confirm whether any designation on file was lawfully executed and properly recorded. They also asked the commission to ensure that successors are given due notice and access to records. The commission said it would review the submitted materials and work with staff to ensure applicable procedures are followed.
