As part of an ongoing expansion, the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce has moved from midtown to a larger building in Oak Park that it may someday share with Sacramento’s other ethnic chambers of commerce.

Earlier this year, the Sacramento Asian Chamber, the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerceannounced plans to move in together. While the “co-location” will not be immediate, the plan is still moving forward, said Pat Fong Kushida, chief executive of both the Asian Pacific Chamber and its statewide counterpart, the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce.

Under the proposal, the three ethnic chambers would remain independent but would share space and possibly administrative staff. Representatives from each chamber have said such a move would promote cohesion in serving minority-owned businesses. All three groups focus on small business development and helping companies secure government contracts.

Kushida said the move was also partly motivated by a desire to enhance an economic development strategy in the city’s urban core.

“We’re now in Oak Park. This is really an urban neighborhood. There are lots of challenges here but lots of opportunity,” Kushida said.

For now, the Sacramento Asian Chamber is the sole entity occupying the space at 2331 Alhambra Blvd. The property is owned by St. Hope, a nonprofit development organization founded by Mayor Kevin Johnson that also operates charter schools in Oak Park.

Jake Mossawir, CEO of St. Hope, said in an email he was “definitely excited that the Sacramento Asian Chamber is coming to Oak Park.” The neighborhood is “a hub of homeownership, education and…will now be adding an organization that focuses on jobs and small business, which we hope will have a big impact,” he said.

With a combined 23 employees, Kushida said her two organizations were growing out of their former office at 2012 H St. That location had 2,500 square feet, she said.

The Sacramento Asian Chamber has a five-year lease on 5,100 square feet of its new location on Alhambra. The remaining 6,000 square feet of the building is open to the other minority-run chambers. The Greater Sacramento Urban League, a job training center for underserved youth and adults, plans to move in as well.

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