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IOWA CITY — Johnson County is continuing to explore ways to address affordable housing needs with a new proposal that would use $2 million of reserve funds to provide loans for affordable housing projects.

The county would look to find an area nonprofit or other entity that would borrow money from the county to undertake affordable housing efforts at a rate lower than commercial lenders but higher than the county’s depository interest rates.

An initial analysis by the Johnson County treasurer indicates local commercial lending rates at around 6 to 6.75 percent and around a 4.34 percent rate of return, on the high end, in county accounts.

“The idea would be, hopefully, this is a win-win for J

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