Why painting over mold is not a fix
No. Painting over mold is not a real fix. Covering it with paint may hide it for a little while, but the mold keeps growing underneath and usually returns, because the moisture feeding it was never addressed.
A proper response removes the mold and — most importantly — fixes the water problem behind it, whether that is a leak, poor ventilation, or ongoing dampness. Some landlords paint over mold to make it disappear before a showing or an inspection. Even so-called "mold-resistant" paint applied over active mold is a cover-up, not a cure.
If your landlord painted over mold instead of repairing the cause, document the before and after with dated photos. That record can actually help you, because it can show the landlord knew about the problem and chose to hide it rather than fix it. If mold keeps bleeding back through fresh paint in your rental, that is a sign of an unresolved problem worth getting advice about.
This is general information about California tenant rights, not legal advice. Every situation is different.