Eleni Balakrishnan

Staff Reporter at Mission Local, Inc.

san francisco, california, united states

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After taking a couple years to travel around the world, I'm back in San Francisco. Writing for local publications and taking journalism classes.

Featured Articles

Tenderloin Buzz: A new strip club, a museum expansion and more

“Tenderloin Buzz” will be a recurring update on changes, tidbits and other news from the Tenderloin. Got news? Send us tips at tips@missionlocal.com. A new strip club is coming to the former site of the notoriously raunchy but beloved O’Farrell Theatre, n... See more

missionlocal.org•Eleni Balakrishnan•Jan 9, 2026

Alleged killer of S.F. hospital worker was suffering 'crisis,' pleads not guilty

Wilfredo Tortolero Arriechi, the 34-year-old man charged with murder for stabbing a social worker to death at San Francisco General Hospital last month, denied the allegations today through his attorney. Public defender Sylvia Nguyen said that Tortolero A... See more

missionlocal.org•Eleni Balakrishnan•Jan 7, 2026

UCSF tells workers at Ward 86, site of fatal stabbing, to stop talking

The University of California, San Francisco told workers at Ward 86, its HIV clinic and the site of a fatal stabbing of a social worker earlier this month, to refrain from talking to anyone about the incident without an attorney present, because the unive... See more

missionlocal.org•Eleni Balakrishnan•Dec 24, 2025

Video: Explosion preceded Tenderloin building fire that displaced 68

An explosion in a sixth-floor unit at 50 Golden Gate Ave. set off the fire alarm and appears to have triggered the Tenderloin blaze that displaced 68 residents last week, according to a surveillance video obtained by Mission Local. In the video, an audibl... See more

missionlocal.org•Eleni Balakrishnan•Dec 17, 2025

S.F. moves to accelerate stalled housing at Tenderloin food hall site

Following Mission Local reporting on a long-delayed affordable housing project in the Tenderloin, the San Francisco mayor’s office of housing has changed course and committed to seek developers for the site within the next two years. That would mean a ful... See more

missionlocal.org•Eleni Balakrishnan•Dec 16, 2025

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Education

Journalism at City College Of San FranciscoGraduated: 2021

Journalism at University Of California, BerkeleyGraduated: 2020

Bachelor Of Science, Biochemistry, Biology at Rice UniversityGraduated: 2013

Biology, Chemistry at The University Of Texas At AustinGraduated: 2010

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Eleni Balakrishnan

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Featured Articles

Tenderloin Buzz: A new strip club, a museum expansion and more

Alleged killer of S.F. hospital worker was suffering 'crisis,' pleads not guilty

UCSF tells workers at Ward 86, site of fatal stabbing, to stop talking

Video: Explosion preceded Tenderloin building fire that displaced 68

S.F. moves to accelerate stalled housing at Tenderloin food hall site

Is this you?

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Education

Connect with journalists.

Connect with journalists.

Social Media

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Featured Articles

Tenderloin Buzz: A new strip club, a museum expansion and more

Alleged killer of S.F. hospital worker was suffering 'crisis,' pleads not guilty

UCSF tells workers at Ward 86, site of fatal stabbing, to stop talking

Video: Explosion preceded Tenderloin building fire that displaced 68

S.F. moves to accelerate stalled housing at Tenderloin food hall site