He died on Sunday morning surrounded by family and friends, personal assistant Phillip Arnold told the media.
Bochco was known for his risk-taking approach that brought gritty realism and large ensemble casts to the small screen.
The 10-time Primetime Emmy Award winner was also behind comedy-drama “Doogie Howser, M.D.” starring Neil Patrick Harris.
Tributes poured in from across Hollywood including collaborators and fellow producers.
Robert Iger, the chairman and CEO of Disney, tweeted: “Today, our industry lost a visionary, a creative force, a risk taker, a witty, urbane story teller with an uncanny ability to know what the world wanted. We were long-term colleagues, and longer term friends., and I am deeply saddened.”
Fellow producer and screenwriter Joss Whedon said: “Absolutely one of the biggest influences on Buffy (and me) was HILL STREET BLUES. Complex, unpredictable, and unfailingly humane. Steven Bochco changed television, more than once. He’s a legend.”