Darnell Watson has devoted exemplary service to the Vernon-Central community in south central Los Angeles where he was born and has lived for all his 80 years. A founding member of NHS, Watson also is active in his church, singing in the choir and delivering food to the needy. He is a resident leader of the Zamora Street Block Club. As a volunteer for the Nehemiah Corporation of California, a nonprofit community development corporation, he helped it obtain financing for low-income families to purchase 132 single-family homes in Los Angeles' Bell Gardens neighborhood. He also operates an affordable moving service that helps families of modest means relocate anywhere in the United States.

Watson became a resident member of NHS's board of directors in 1992. Throughout his service, he has recruited a host of other resident volunteers and led numerous initiatives on behalf of NHS. His most singular contribution, however, came shortly after he first joined the board. In reviewing NHS's business plan, Watson encouraged the organization to expand its business to provide real estate and foreclosure-prevention services. He advocated strongly that community residents were desperately in need of ethical financial advice and assistance that would help them become stable homeowners.

The results of Watson's advice have been impressive. The NHS Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation was established in 1996 as a full-service real estate company, licensed by the California Department of Real Estate. In 2002 alone, the corporation did $17.5 million in direct business and $6 million in referrals. Every month, 10 to 15 properties are listed at an average price of $180,000. Five to six escrows are closed each month. Hundreds of families of modest means have been able to achieve their dream of home ownership because of Watson's suggestion and leadership.

As another pioneer in community-based development, Darnell Watson is richly deserving of this award honoring Dorothy Richardson.