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Based on an ethnographic study, this article studies the mechanisms of participation implemented in the large social housing areas located in Parisian suburbs. In a context where residents are frequently blamed for causing all kinds of trouble, some tenants are now encouraged to become “role models” to ease communication between owners and occupants and are expected to spread good practices among inhabitants. However, this role needs substantial commitment, and those who manage to meet the authorities’ expectations tend to be tenants who are already socialized in collective action. Whether acting as spokespersons, moral entrepreneurs or information broadcasters, these “role models” must constantly adjust to the requirements of an injunction that rests upon their vigilance regarding the neighborhood. In a context of internal conflicts and opposition between owners and occupants, being a role model can involve risks such as mistrust or conflicts of loyalty, which often lead to defection.