Had the opposite reaction. They’re used so infrequently that a lot of thermocouples (a lot of fireplaces in TX aren’t wood burning) didn’t work or the flues were not clear or there were other issues preventing the proper or safe use of fireplaces. Plenty of burn and carbon monoxide poisoning cases were associated with them.
A lot of people don’t really know how to work them properly and an emergency is a terrible time to attempt to learn.
If lack of heating in Texas is a concern, home fireplaces aren’t a panacea. They’re primarily decorative. But, yeah, try building a house without one or removing one and you’ll get warned about your home value dropping.
I’m not really sure how true it is. Seems like one of those self-fulfilling deals. Some Texans really do like them, but a lot of people just don’t use them at all. And some of that is probably geographic. It gets cold enough in the north where they may see occasional use but there are several along here on the coast that probably don’t get touched for years or decades.