MEET WIll

Will Onuoha is a lifelong Bostonian, experienced leader in government, and housing professional with nearly two decades of experience running City departments, helping people, and solving problems for Boston’s residents.  He has held key roles in four Boston mayoral administrations – Mayors Tom Menino, Marty Walsh, Kim Janey, and Michelle Wu – and is seeking to bring his extensive experience in government to make Boston better for everyone, regardless of their zip code.

Will currently is Assistant General Counsel & Director of Health & Safety for the Boston Water & Sewer Commission and formerly served as Executive Director of the City of Boston’s Office of Fair Housing, Equity & Civil Rights. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Commissioner/Director of Housing at Boston’s Inspectional Services Department.

He spent 6 years as the neighborhood coordinator for the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill, Fenway and Kenmore neighborhoods in the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services under Mayor Tom Menino. Here, Will led and facilitated neighborhood meetings to discuss issues including city services, zoning, licensing, and crime. As a direct link between City Hall and the neighborhoods he worked directly with the mayor and senior administration officials on issues impacting these communities, including business and residential development and transportation. Will was also responsible for responding to and managing all emergencies within the district including crime, fires, and water main breaks while working with the city departments to bring the necessary relief to constituents.

His commitment to Boston and its neighborhoods is a lifelong passion for Will. He grew up on Mission Hill and is the son of Nigerian immigrants. Through hard work and determination, Will experienced firsthand the limitless opportunity Boston has to offer, but also saw how too many in his community struggled to afford to live in the city they called home. 

As City Councilor, he will bring commonsense solutions to Boston’s greatest challenges.  Will’s priorities include expanding access to affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, investing in our public schools, ensuring our neighborhoods are safe and healthy, supporting Boston’s small businesses and regional economic engine, standing up for our seniors, and delivering effective and responsive constituent services.

Will attended school in Boston and is a BPS graduate, attending St. Patrick’s, Mission Grammar School, the Thomas Gardner, the William Howard Taft, and Muriel Snowden International High School. He received his BA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and his law degree from New England School of Law.